A Lazy Afternoon
by Aerial312
Summary: WICKED. Not entirely based on the book or the musical, but my amalgamation of both. . A lazy afternoon at Shiz breeds an interesting interaction between Elphaba and Fiyero, sending the two of them on a whirlwind week of adventure and romance. FINISHED
1. On the River Bank

A Lazy Afternoon

Disclaimer:  I don't own these characters. 

Fiyero lay flat on the thick stone wall bordering the river that ran through Shiz, looking up at the sun.  It was a warm, pleasant day, and his thoughts were everywhere but on the textbook that now lay open on his stomach.  He had read and reread the same paragraph ten times before giving up.

"Fiyero, chap, we are going into town," Crope began, "You want to come?"

"No, I think I will stay here."

Tibbett grinned.  "We're meeting up with Boq and Avaric, and the girls."

"All the girls," Crope added. "Miss Glinda, Miss Milla, Miss Pfanee, and Miss Shenshen."

Fiyero nodded along with Crope's excitement to humor him. 

"Are Nessarose and Elphaba coming?"

"Uh, yeah, probably. I sure hope Nanny's not coming."

"That's unlikely if Nessa's gonna be there," Tibbett snorted. "She never goes anywhere without the old lady."

"Oh, you should be nicer.  Nessarose is unable to do much for herself," Fiyero chided.

Tibbett shrugged.

"So you gonna come now?" Crope questioned.

"I am going to pass this time."

"You're not studying," Crope protested.

"I just like laying here, in the sun."

"Suit yourself."

Crope and Tibbett scurried down the road in the direction of town.  Fiyero returned his gaze to the sky.  It was a crisp, vibrant blue, free from clouds.  Here and there a bird flittered overhead.  In this pleasant atmosphere he drifted off to sleep. 

"So **that's** what you think of Life Sciences."

At the sound, Fiyero bolted upright, barely catching his book before it plummeted into the river.  "Huh?" he asked in a sleepy daze, looking up to see Elphaba standing beside him.  "What did you say?"

She smiled and sat beside him, where his head had been.  "I said, so that's what you really think of Life Sciences, the book laying on your chest, you sound asleep."

Fiyero leaned back on his left arm, and cocked his head to face her.  "It's too nice out."

"Uh huh."

"No, really, it is.  I do like the Life Sciences.  But not when its bright and sunny without a cloud in the sky."

Elphaba looked up that the sky.  "It is nice out.  I guess there's no hope for my finishing this either."  She pulled her own copy of the Life Science textbook from her black, leather satchel. 

"Yes, very unlikely."  Fiyero smiled.  "So why are you not in town with all of the others?"

"I could ask you the same question."

Fiyero shrugged.

"I just didn't feel like being a people person today."

"Are you ever?"

"Ha.  Ha. Ha."

Elphaba lay her book on the wall, lifting her legs and her skirts up and turning to lay on her stomach.  Fiyero watched her intently. 

"What?"  
"Oh, I'm sorry Miss Elphaba, I didn't mean to stare."

"Quit the Miss Elphaba bullshit."

Fiyero nodded.  "Elphie."

She smiled softly.  "That's better.  So why was I so interesting a minute ago?"

Fiyero felt his cheeks getting warm, and was glad that his dark skin would not betray his embarrassment. 

"I was just surprised that you came over to talk to me if you did not want to be around people today."  He stared at his lap. 

"Well, I couldn't exactly be rude."

"I was asleep."

Elphaba hesitated.  "You're not like the others."

"Oh?"

"You're not,"  She tried to busy herself in her book. 

"How so?"

"You're…not annoying…usually."  Elphaba pulled the wide brim of her black hat down so far over her face that Fiyero could no longer see it.  He took this as his cue that she didn't want to talk about it anymore.  H scooted forward and lay back, raising his book to read once again.  _There are many species of plants that…_   He still couldn't concentrate.  Once again he sat up, now placing his book beside Elphaba's, rolling over onto his stomach.  _There are many species of plants that have naturally occurring medicinal properties._ 

"How long have you had the blue diamonds?"

He looked up.  She was staring at his face.  He ran his fingers along the pattern on his forehead.

"I was 14.  It is a sign of nobility, of coming of age, conferred during, uh, puberty.  I had spent a month, solitary, in the grasslands, fending for myself, proving myself, if you will.  When I successfully returned I became an adult in the community."

"Arjiki Prince, what does that entail?"

"For now not much.  When I finish school, I will look after the business and political interests of the Vinkus."

"And take your child bride?" Elphaba snickered.

Fiyero nodded.  "That also."

"Have you known her yet?"

He scowled.  "Not like that I haven't.  I've met her though."

She looked at him, seeking more information. 

"What Elphie?  What is it you want to know?"

"Nothing."  After a moment she broke her gaze.  Her dark eyes were rich.  Fiyero blinked in bewilderment.  He had never studied her that closely before. 

"So are you finding this chapter as boring as I am?"

"No."  Elphie didn't look up.  Fiyero shook his head and lay back. 

"Get your hair off my book."

He scooted an inch further, to keep his short, dark locks from her page.  "Oh, its getting cloudy."

"Maybe now you will find the attention span to read."

"Ha ha."

"What's so boring about it?  The chapter has practical applications."

"I know.  That's why I find it boring.  I know most of this stuff already.  I've had to."

"Ah.  Then why try to read?"

"Because if I don't, then all the exam questions will be on the obscure stuff that I don't already know."

Elphaba laughed. It was a pleasant sound, and rare.  Usually she just snickered.  He could feel her watching him, but did not want to sit up only to annoy her back to her book.  He focused on the sky.  The clouds had moved in quickly and loomed ominously overhead. 

"I think this chapter is the most interesting yet."

"That doesn't say much, Elphie."

She laughed again.  A broad smile formed on his face, breaking only when a rain drop landed smack between his eyes.  Slowly he sat up, stretching out his head.  Plunk.

"Elphie!"

"What?  What's wrong?"

"You have a, uh, problem with water, right?"

She nodded, a drop falling onto her hand, she hissed in pain and rapidly retracted it to her side.  "Shit!"

Fiyero could not believe how violently she reacted to the single drop. "Are you all right?"

Elphaba wasted no time answering him, but ran off, as fast as she could for Crage Hall.  Fiyero looked after her, concerned.  Being pelted by a few more drops, he jumped down.  She had forgotten her book and satchel.  He picked them up, and scurried after her.

FEEDBACK!


	2. Concern

A Lazy Afternoon   

Disclaimer:  I don't own these characters

Chapter 2

Fiyero stood outside Elphaba and Glinda's room, soaking wet, bearing the forgotten items.  He was amazed that he had snuck up to the second floor without being noticed.  The girls rooms' were labeled, and he found the correct room with no trouble at all.  Number 22.  Gently, he rapped on the door.  After nearly a minute, the door opened a cracka dn Elphaba's dark, expressive eyes appeared in the void. 

"What do you want?"

Her voice sounded rough and shaky.

"I have your book and satchel.  You left without them."

"Give them here."  She stuck her good hand out. 

"They're soaked."

"So are you."

"The sky opened up as I headed back here."

"How did you get up here?"

Fiyero grinned, wiping his face with his hand.  "It wasn't as hard as you might think."

Slowly, Elphaba opened the door for him, stepping far out of the way to avoid  stray droplets as he entered.  He placed the satchel down on the floor.

"Do you have a towel that I might wipe this off with?"

Elphie grabbed one out of the closet, and tossed it at him.  Carefully, he dried the satchel. 

"This didn't get too wet, cause I put it in the bag, but you'll probably want to lay it out to dry."

"There is fine."

He lay the book on the floor at the base of her bed.  Finished, he held up the towel, wondering where she wanted him to put it.

"Dry yourself off."

He did as he was told, and she plopped down on her bed and watched him.

"Not doing much good."

"No, I'm pretty drenched."

He tucked the towel around his shoulders and sighed. 

"You can sit in that chair if you'd like.  You can't hurt it,"  Elphie grinned, pointing to a plain, wooden chair in the corner of the room.

"Must I sit in it over there?"  Fiyero smiled, as he went to fetch the chair.

"Of course not," she laughed.  "But you may not put it so close that you touch my bed."

Fiyero obeyed, keeping his wet clothing from her sheets.  They sat in silence for a little while. 

"How is your hand?"

"Fine."

"Really?"

"It'll be fine."

"That's different."

"Perhaps."

"May I see it?"  
"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please, Elphie?"  he locked eyes with her.

Slowly she raised the wounded hand.  A small, red welt had formed where the raindrop landed.  Fiyero reached out to pull it closer and she yanked it out of his reach.

"You're wet."

"My hands are dry."

"I said you could see it, not touch it."

Fiyero nodded, and slowly she showed him again.  He leaned in to look at it carefully. 

"How do you treat it?"

"Mister Nature boy doesn't know a number of ways to treat a burn?"

"No, I do, I was just wondering how **you** treat it."

"Sorry.  I cleaned it with a little oil."

"No herbs to cool it or disinfect it?"

Elphaba shrugged.  "I don't have much now.  It's small."

Fiyero looked at it again.  "It's a nasty burn.  Keep it clean."

"Yes, sir."

"Elphie…I'm not trying to be patronizing.  I…I just…" he sat back in his chair, frustrated.

Elphaba lay back on her bed, rubbing her temples.

"Are you okay?"

"The air's gotten really humid.  It gives me a headache.  This building is drafty."

"Do you need anything?"

"Could you grab a few of my scarves from the hook over there?  Sometimes it helps to cover up, and breathe through that."

Fiyero bounded over to the scarves and grabbed a handful.

"Thank you."

Slowly Elphaba wrapped them around her neck, up to her nose.  Fiyero wished there was more he could do for her.

"If you don't mind, I think I'm just going to rest for a while."

She reached for her blanket.  He helped her cover herself with it, and she curled in on herself.

"Is that your only blanket?"

"Yeah."

"Do you want me to fetch on of mine?"

"I'll be fine, Yero."

"Okay." 

He crossed to the door, and paused.  For a few minutes.  She looked so fragile huddled up like that.  He'd never seen her show weakness.

"I'm not going to break."

"I know," he answered softly.

"Then why are you still here?"

It wasn't nasty, just inquisitive.

"I don't know."

He stood and watched her a while longer.

"If you're going to stay, sit down."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded, and he returned to the chair. 

"I don't want to talk though."

"Okay."

Elphaba snuggled into the blanket once again.  Gradually her breathing evened out, and Fiyero reasoned that she was asleep.  He stood up ever so carefully so as not to wake her.  Gently he placed his hand on her blanketed shoulder, squeezing lightly before tiptoeing out of the room.  He silently shut the door, and paused, leaning against the wall.  Why was he suddenly so concerned about her?  He couldn't place it, exactly, nor could he shake the feeling.

FEEDBACK!


	3. At the Tavern

A Lazy Afternoon

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters.

Chapter 3

"What are you doing sleeping at this hour?" Glinda squealed.  "It's five o'clock.  Time for dinner, then to go out."

Elphaba sat up groggily.  Fiyero had left.  She vaguely remembered it.  She couldn't describe the way his concern had made her feel.  It was a sensation she couldn't remember ever feeling.

"Earth to Elphie!"

"Hmm?"

"Why were you sleeping?"

"I wasn't feeling well.  The moisture in the air, it disagreed with me."

Glinda nodded.  "It stopped raining.  The sun's out again."

"Good."

"So are you going to be social tonight?"

"Perhaps."

"We're going into town to fetch some dinner, maybe catch a show."

"Why'd you bother to come back?"

"To change.  We were all damp and icky." Glinda bounced over to her closet.  "Ooh.  Should I wear the pink or the purple?"

Elphaba rolled her eyes.

"I know, you pick between the black or the black, but I like color."

Elphaba snickered.  Glina picked the pink and quickly changed. 

"The guys also wanted to find Fiyero.  He needs to have some fun too."

"I talked to him for a while this afternoon.  We were both outside reading until it started to rain."

"You two need to have some **real** fun.  Now maybe you could wear a blue dress tonight."

"Who said I was coming?"

"Please come.  Nessa missed you dreadfully."

"Fine."  Elphie crossed to her closet, far more meager than Glinda's, and selected a royal blue sundress.

"Is it still nice temperature-wise?"

Glinda nodded. "Very warm.  That'll be fine."

Elphaba slipped into her sundress, wrapping an aubergine scarf around her neck, and putting on a pair of long, black gloves.

"That somewhat defeats the purpose of a sleeveless dress."

"Get over it."

"May I do your hair?"  
"That depends on what you want to** do** to it."

"Wear it down, with a small braid on either side, joined in the back."

"Okay." 

Glinda set about brushing Elphie's long, dark hair immediately.  Once completed, the two took off for town.

"How are you feeling?" Fiyero asked, sneaking up behind her. 

She spun to face him.  "You startled me.  I'm fine.  Headache's gone."

"Good."

She couldn't help but notice how handsome he looked.  He had changed into a dark brown pair of breeches, with an off-white tunic, and a purple sash, similar to her own. 

"Glinda persuaded me to come."

"Did she influence your outfit too?"  Fiyero smiled.

"Of course.  Otherwise I'd still be in what I was wearing earlier."

"Well, you look nice."

"Obligatory compliment."

"No…really."

"Right."

"Dammit Elphie, why don't you believe that you can be pretty?"  He stared directly into her eyes.

"I'm just not.  Those," she gestured toward Glinda and the other girls, "are the pretty ones."  Elphaba started away, but Fiyero caught her wrist.

"You're not getting out of it that easily."

"Let me go."

He did not.  Their eyes met again, both willful, both stubborn.

"Woah, uh, are you guys going to kill each other?" Boq questioned, coming over to them with a pipkin of wine.  "Bottle's open."

Neither moved.

"Um, if you guys don't join the rest of us soon, you'll end up paired with each other by default for trivia."

"That's fine," Fiyero answered.

"We'll be there **soon**."

"I'll, uh, go back, and tell them that you will partner."  He tiptoed away, glancing back at the ensuing battle. 

"We should go join the others," Elphaba argued.

"Not until we talk about this."

"What is there to talk about?"

"Why do you think so little of yourself?"

"That's none of your business."

"You're much prettier than you acknowledge."

Elphaba dropped her gaze to the floor.  He stepped closer, squeezing her captive, gloved hand tightly in his.

"You don't understand."

"I think I do."

"How could you possibly?"

"Elphie…I…."

"See you don't…"

"Let me finish."

She shut her mouth.  They did not break apart.

"I may not know what its like to be green, but in case you forgot, my own skin is several shades darker than most people's.  I'm hopelessly different, even without the blue diamonds.  I constantly get rude stares, and comments.  I know exactly what Avaric thinks of my skin color, and that Glinda would think me fine as a friend, but would never date some one with this dark a complexion.  I do hear these things.  I saw how everyone looked at me that first day in class."

"Well, that was a pretty odd situation to begin with."

Her face had softened, but she still wouldn't look up at him.

"Okay, that was a poor example."

"I got your point.  I don't know why I feel the way I do.  I need to succeed at something to make myself feel better about myself, I guess." 

She bit her lip.  Quickly he pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket, and offered it to her.  She took a deep breath.

"I'm okay…thank you though."

"I'll let you go now.  I just want you to know it was an 100% genuine compliment earlier.  You look very nice tonight."

She looked up at him, finally.  He meant it.  She could see it in his eyes.

FEEDBACK!


	4. Trivia and other fun

A Lazy Afternoon

Disclaimer:  I don't own these characters.

Author's note:  As per the request this chapter has begun with the trivia game, which I originally hadn't written.  Thus the "good stuff" will have to wait until the next chapter, which, in other good news is already written(along with the following chapter and a half).  On the mixing the book and musical thing…my biggest thing is that I want Fiyero to be the book Fiyero(whom I love), and have the extra school characters.  But I also need to have him be able to touch her while they're at Shiz(and that breaks with the book).  So its mostly book based…with slight elements of the musical.

Chapter 4

Glinda scrunched up her face in thought.  Shenshen looked at her with wide eyes, shaking her head.

"Oh, you don't know anything," Glinda scowled.

"So you even have a guess this time?" Boq smiled, holding the card tightly to his chest.  Nessa giggled.

"No," Glinda muttered. 

Fiyero grinned and sat forward in the big, cushy, chair that he and Elphaba were sharing.  It was question stealing time, for the fourth time this game. 

"I will now, repeat the question," Boq began, "And whoever answers first…"

"We **know**!" Pfannee snapped.

"But I bet she doesn't **know** the answer," Elphaba whispered to Fiyero, affecting Pfannee's voice.

He snickered, but remained poised.

Boq read, "This former public works building is now the chieftan's seat in the Vinkus."

"Kiamo Ko!" Fiyero yelled.

"All right, we get it.  You know the answer.  Do you have to show us up like that every time?" Shenshen scoffed.

Fiyero looked at her, trying hard to suppress his laughter.

"What?!" she demanded.

"He's from Kiamo Ko," Elphaba laughed.

Shenshen growled and looked despairingly at Glinda.  They had only one point so far, for having correctly identified the official clothier of the Emerald City.  Glinda lifted the next card out of the box, and turned to Elphie and Fiyero.

"Okay.  Politics.  What is the name of the task force appointed by the Wizard to maintain order in the Emerald City?"

"Ha!" Elphie sputtered. 

"Is that your answer?" Glinda smiled.  Elphie glared at her.

"The Gale Force," Elphaba retorted.

"Correct."

Fiyero leaned into the table to add a peg to their scorecard.  One more and they won.  He picked up a card, and turned to Crope and Tibbett. 

"Ecomony.  This is the primary business of Shiz."

"Finally, one I know," Crope mused. "Banking."

"Yup."

Crope grabbed the box of questions and faced Boq and Nessa. "Math."

Nessa groaned.  Boq looked hopeful. 

Crope continued. "Give pi to the hundreth's place."

"What's pi?" Nessa whispered to Boq.

"I can't remember," Boq frowned.  "Dammit, I know this."

"Give up?"

"Not yet."

"Well, we're not stealing this one either," Glinda sighed to Shenshen.  Boq buried his head in his hands pitifully.  "Oh, I don't know."

"Okay," Crope acknowledged.  "To repeat, for rules sake: 'Give pi to the hundreth's place'.  Go."

"Three point one, four," Elphaba and Fiyero shouted at the same time, then burst out laughing.

"Fine.  You guys win," Avaric conceded quickly.  "Let's drink!"

The group dispersed to the bar area, leaving Fiyero and Elphaba in their chair. 

"That was easy," Fiyero smiled, not moving.

"Well, they paired poorly."  
"Like by leaving us together?"

"Yeah."

Elphaba looked over at him, and suddenly became aware of how close they were sitting.  His hand grazed her knee as he reached for his glass.  She gasped.  He looked at her curiously.

"What?"

"Nothing," he grinned.  He settled back against the chair, and grabbing her waist, pulled her to him.

"Hey!"  Elphaba sat back up.

"What's wrong?"  His hands remained on her waist.  "Sit back, have a drink, relax."

She turned to look at him.  He was watching her intently.  "I have some reading to do."

"Now?"  he sounded hurt.

She nodded reluctantly, and got up, trudging over to a stool at the distant end of the bar.  Fiyero shook his head, and quickly downed his wine, settling into the chair.  Avaric appeared in front of him, bearing the bottle.

"Refill?"

"What the hell.  Sure,"  Fiyero held out his empty glass and Avaric poured clumsily. 

"Mellow tonight, eh chap?"

Fiyero nodded.

"Up for pool? I need some amusment that doesn't involve Pfannee and Shenshen."

"I thought you liked Pfannee and Shenshen."

"I do.  Just not for…conversation."

"They are a bit dull."

"Yeeeaah."

"What was the row between you and Elphaba about earlier?  I mean you seem to have patched it up, but, hell, I'm nosy."

Fiyero shook his head.  "We just needed to work something out.  I called her on something.  It's okay now."

"She's obnoxious."

"She's opinionated, but I certainly wouldn't say obnoxious, and I'd much rather have a conversation with her than with Pfannee and Shenshen."

Avaric shrugged.  "Why's she being anti social again?"

He pointed to where she sat at the end of the bar, leaning on her purple gloved hand, reading a paper.  She looked unhappy. 

"So pool?"

"Uh, not right now."

"You're going to go hang on Elphaba again."

"Perhaps."

Avaric shook his head.

"Avaric!  Come here!" Shenshen shrilly cried from across the room.

Fiyero snickered as his friend trudged across the room to the bubbly pair.  He hoisted himself out of the chair, and walked quietly up behind Elphaba.  She rubbed her eyes, tiredly.  Fiyero placed his hands on her shoulders and she jumped, tensing immediately.  He gently squeezed them a few times. 

"Why do you keep sneaking up on me?"

Fiyero grinned.

"It's not funny."

She was being short with him again.

"What's got you now?"

"My head is throbbing."

"Aww. Do you want more backrub?"

She looked up at him hesistantly.  "No thank you." 

"The air in here is kind of humid again."

Elphaba nodded.  "I think I'm going to head back now."

"Do you want me to walk back with you?"

"No," she slid off her stool, and gathered her bag.  He blocked her way. "Don't start this again."

She sounded so hurt and testy that he obliged her this time.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes.  I just want to be alone, and get home. Stay and have a good time."

With that, she left, not waiting for him to answer.

FEEDBACK!!


	5. Damage Control

A Lazy Afternoon

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters.

Chapter 5

Fiyero sat on the stool that Elphaba had just vacated.  She had been reading an essay on the imprisonment of Animals.  He poured another glass of wine and downed it quickly, settling to read the parchment, when a crack of thunder rang through the air.  He sprang to his feet, seeking his satchel.  She couldn't have made it home yet.  Without a goodbye to the others he flew out the door.  The rain was now coming down in sheets.  Visibility was awful.  Several times he slipped and fell.  He was drenched and muddy, searching for Elphaba.  Finally, he spotted a form underneath a large willow tree.  It was her.  She sat clutching her knees, rocking back and forth.  He bounded up to her, careful not to drip too much.  The tree provided decent cover, but not enough. 

"Elphie!"

"Don't touch me!" she sounded terrified.

"Don't worry, I won't.  In my bag, Elphie, dry, is my slicker.  It even has a hood, put it on."

"Why didn't you wear it?"

"You need it more than I."

Quickly, he opened the bag, and she grasped it, and put it on. 

"I need to get home."

"I'll walk with you to make sure you're okay.  That should cover you up pretty well."

"I'm already pretty weak."

Fiyero nodded, and slid his arm around her waist.  They ventured out into the rain.  What a strange day this was.  Sun. Rain.  Sun. Rain.  Suddenly, Elphie slipped and fell, her gloved hands landing in a puddle.

"Ow!  Oh, shit, that hurts."

Fiyero scooped her up, and spun her to face him.  Carefully her lifted her.  "I've got you."

He proceeded as quickly as he could.  The girl's dorm was still a ways off, but they were approaching Ozma Towers.  And that he decided was their destination.  Finally, he slid through the doorway, and paused to catch his breath. 

"How are you?"

"O…kay."

Fiyero quickly brought her up to his room.  He was at a loss for whether to dry her first or himself.  He'd be no help if he was wet.  Fiyero grabbed an armful of towels and handed a few to Elphie, who struggled with them.  He pulled off his wet clothing, and toweled off, replacing the wet with dry items.  Elphaba had made little progress getting out of her wet clothes.  Her hands were clenched into fists.  He swiftly undid the slicker, and pulled it off, followed quickly by her dress.  This was no time for modesty.  Her head fell against his chest.

"You still with me?"

"Yes…" she managed.

He dried her quickly and pulled a pair of his flannel pajama bottoms out of a drawer.  He started them on her ankles, then awkwardly pulled her to her feet, to pull them up.  She could barely stand.  He pulled her close with his left arm, to support her, and with the right, grabbed blindly into the drawer for a shirt.  Finding one, he sat her on the bed.  For a moment he stared at the smooth green expanse of her back.  His reverie broke as his gaze traveled north to the red and angry looking skin on her shoulders.  Carefully, he put the shirt over her head.  He didn't want to hurt her anymore.  He gently guided her fisted hands through the sleeves.  Getting the gloves off was going to be a challenge.  He grabbed her under the arms and lifted her further back to lean on the pillows.

Fiyero looked down at her face.  She was watching him, albeit somewhat blankly.  He kissed her on the forehead and quickly crossed the room to fetch his medicine chest.  He lay it on the bed, and propped each of her hand on a pillow.

"How are you doing?"

"Still…here."

"Good," Fiyero flashed her a quick smile of encouragement.  He retrieved a bottle of the strongest anesthetic he had, and soaking a cloth, proceeded to swath each of the hands, struggling to get some under the clenched fingers. 

"I'm going to let that sit, and work on your shoulders."

"Okay."

"Your hands are going to go numb.  Don't worry if you can't feel them for a little while."

"It'll be a nice…change…from…blinding pain."

Fiyero nodded, pulling her upright again, and crossing to sit behind her.

"Do you need a pillow to lean on?"

"I'll…be…fine."

Fiyero was unconvinced, but set to work.  Her hair hung in his way.  He glanced around the room, lighting upon a rope belt on the doorknob to the closet.  Quickly, he bounded over to it, and he tied her hair atop her head.  It was awkward looking, a far cry from Glinda's pretty braids, but it worked.  He stroked her back gently before patting some anesthetic onto her shoulders.

He was unsure how to proceed.  Standard first aid for burns was to begin by washing with soap and water, obviously that wouldn't work in this case.  He rooted through his box, finding a bottle of antiseptic solution.  Cautiously, Fiyero  saturated a small cloth. 

"This may sting a bit."

"I doubt it…I can't…feel a thing."

"Well, good.  Cause this would hurt.  I have to clean the wound so it doesn't get infected."

"Do what you need to."

Her voice seemed to have a bit more life in it."

Painstakingly, he removed the rough, dead skin.  That completed, he generously rubbed a thick salve on, laying handkerchiefs on top, and taping them in place.

"That's done."

"Good. Yero, do you have anything in your box of tricks that would help a headache?"

"Uh, yeah." He searched again, procuring a reddish bottle.  He twisted it open, and filled the cap.  "Swallow," he commanded, holding it up to her lips.

"Ugh…that's disgusting."

"I didn't say it was tasty.  But it'll work."

He set about delicately removing the gloves.  He didn't want them to pull off more sking than absolutely necessary.  It was a slow process of tugging and sliding, but eventually the gloves were off.  The hands underneath were raw and broken from such a long exposure to water.  He spread out her fingers, and they involuntarily curled back in on each other. 

"Is the anesthetic wearing off?"

"A little bit."

"Okay." He applied a bit more, before gingerly rubbing her hands with the antiseptic.  She watched him, intrigued.  His manner was so confident in this, yet the concern leaked through.  Fiyero scooped a bit of the salve into a small bowl, and poured in a few drops of each of five vials.

"What's that?"

"Your hands are hurt more than your shoulders, so I added some nutrients and minerals to help rejuvenate your skin."

He swathed her hands in the softest fabric he could find, then helped her put a pair of his gloves over it. 

Finally done, he replaced the chest to the closet, and returned to the bed.

"Okay.  Get settled in, you need to sleep.  There's certainly no going outside for you tonight."

Elphaba curled into his plush, blue blanket.  Fiyero sat in a chair beside the bed.

"Fiyero…" she stumbled.  "I can't make you sleep in a chair in your own room." She started to get up.

"Sit down.  You are not sleeping in the chair, or on the floor.  Absolutely not."

"But…"

"I'll be fine."

They locked eyes for a good minute.  Elphaba patted the bed beside her.

"Just stay here.  I'm not shy.  You saw me at my weakest earlier."

Hesitantly he climbed into the covers beside her.  Absently, they curled closer together.

"You're right, this is fine," he smiled, but she was already asleep.  He lay awake for a while, watching her back rise and fall rhythmically. 

FEEDBACK!


	6. In the Middle of the Night

A Lazy Afternoon

Disclaimer:  I don't own these characters.

Author's Note:  Yay Idina!!  Alas, between the Tony Awards and my show right now, I haven't had much time to type.  I have a few chapters written(I can do that between my cues for my show, but my computer is being held hostage by the projector, so typing is tougher).  Hopefully, I'll be able to get them out soon.

Chapter 6

Elphaba awoke in the middle of the night, disoriented.  She was staring up at the ceiling trying to make out where she was.  This wasn't her room.   She pulled the soft blanket up to her face.  Her own blanket wasn't this nice.  A dull ache radiated from her hands.  She pulled them out of the blanket.  They were bandaged and in gloves.  The rain.  She'd been pretty hurt, and out of it.  She turned to the heat coming from her left.  Fiyero lay curled up in a ball.  He looked so peaceful asleep.  Elphaba followed the short flares of his blue diamond pattern with her eyes.  It was beautiful.  She shifted again, awkwardly, trying to take her weight off a particularly painful patch on her shoulder.  Fiyero stirred.

"Sorry."

"Hmmm?"

"I was trying not to wake you up."

"It's okay."  He yawned.  "I was sleeping lightly."

He nuzzled a bit closer.  Their foreheads were millimeters from touching.  His breath tickled her nose.

"How are you doing?"

"Okay, Dull aching.  Nothing bad."

"Good."

Fiyero gently placed a hand on her shoulder and pulled her toward him..  She tensed.

"Oh, did I hit a sore spot?"

"No."

They lay awkwardly in silence for a few moments.

"Is it still raining?"

"I don't know," Fiyero answered, but sat himself up, and climbed out of bed, dancing across the cold, stone floor to the window.   "Wow.  Hard to tell, the fog's so thick."  He turned back to the bed.  "You're not planning to leave now, are you?"

"I was considering it."

Fiyero climbed back into the covers.  "Please don't."

"Why?"

"The fog.  It'll irritate your skin."

"I can deal with fog," she sat up.  "I suppose my clothes are still wet?"

"Of course they are.  It's pretty dank in here."

She pushed the covers aside.

"Elphie…"

"What?  I should head back to my room."

"You need to sleep."

"Fiyero, how would it look if I'm coming out of your room in the morning?  It's against the rules."

"Since when do you care about the rules?"

"I…"

"You only seem to care selectively."

Elphaba looked at him, exasperated.  "Glinda's probably wondering where I am."

"Glinda's probably fast asleep."

She was frustrated now.  "Fiyero…"

"Elphie…why do you want to go out at 3am?  If you're caught you're not going to be in any less trouble than if you return in the morning."

She bowed her head away. 

"I wanted to be able to treat your hands again."  He grabbed one of her gloved extremities.  "How are they doing?"

"You've asked that already."

"Is it getting worse?"

"Maybe a little."

"If you're going to leave now, let me treat them first."

"Fiyero, go back to sleep.  You look like you need it."

He sighed, resting his head on his hands, his knees curled up to his chest.  She watched this, conflicted.  She just wanted to curl up in his arms again, and shut out the world.  But she didn't want to deal with Glinda in the morning when she came home wearing Fiyero's clothes.  She still hadn't moved though.

"If I stay,  Glinda will think…"

"Why do you care what Glinda thinks?" It came out harsher than he'd intended, and his head remained down.

"Fiyero…"  She scooted closer to him.  "I don't know what to do."

He turned he head toward her, resting it on his knee. "Stay, please."  He grasped her hand again.  "Please Elphie."

She pulled the blanket back over her lap.  "Why is it so important to you?"  This was softer than her previous questions.

"I want to make sure you're okay.  You had me terrified."

Elphaba gave a small smile, and settled down on the pillow again, determined not to see the emotion in her face.  He snuggled down.  She curled closer, laying her head on his chest.  He grinned and wrapped his arm around her.

"You didn't really want to leave this?" he joked.

"My, you're developing an ego."

Fiyero laughed. "Well, I know **I'd** rather lay like this."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"  
He felt his cheeks getting warm.  "I…its just….nice…to feel another person's heartbeat."

"It makes you feel less alone."

"Mmmm."

"It's hard to explain.  But its comforting."

"Steady rise and fall."

He pulled her tightly to him, kissing her forehead gently.  Their legs wove together, as they drifted off to sleep.

FEEDBACK!!


	7. The Morning After

A Lazy Afternoon

Disclaimer:  I don't own these characters

Author's Note:  This chapter would have been sooner, but yesterday my boyfriend and I took and impromptu trip to NYC, for the sole purpose of trying to get lottery tickets to Wicked.  Unfortunately, we did not, for either show(thus I have now sucked it up and bought tickets for August).  Saw Assassins and The Producers though…fun.

Chapter 7

When Fiyero awoke, Elphaba was gone.  No sunlight was coming though the window, the sky was gray and menacing.  He wondered if it was still night.  When they had gone to sleep, it seemed like she would stay for a long time.  He padded over to his watch.  11am.  Where had all the time gone?   He had no idea it was that late. 

Quickly, he dressed and packed his bag with various medicines from his box.  She hadn't even waited for him to treat her hands a second time like he had wanted to.  He slipped out into the hallway.

"It lives!"  Boq exclaimed.

"Yeah."

"Rough night?" Boq asked, his voice full of mischief. "We missed you at breakfast."

"It doesn't feel like eleven."

"You look exhausted for someone who slept half the morning."

"Enh."

Boq laughed.  "You may still be able to score some breakfast if you hurry."

"I'm not hungry,"  Fiyero frowned.

"What's got you this morning?"

Fiyero shrugged.

"Why'd ya leave so early last night?"  
Fiyero shrugged again, but looked to Boq, interested in where he was going with this.

"You missed quite a commotion."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, Elphie slipped out early too, at some point, I don't know when, but you saw the rain."

Fiyero nodded.

"So, Glinda was flipping out.  Elphie's allergic to water!  So Crope and I went back with her looking for Elphie, and she wasn't in their room.  We don't know where she was.  I'm not sure if she came back.  That's what I'm going to find out now."

"I found Elphie last night.  She's back, I think."

"When did she get back?"

"I…I'm not sure."

"You didn't take her back?"

"No."

"No?"  
"I'm not sure when she left."

"She was with you?"

"Yeah.  It was pouring.  This was closer."

Boq nodded.  "I wish you'd told us.  We looked around for quite some time at Glinda's bequest."

"Ah, yes.  You'd do anything at Glinda's bequest."

"Anyways…"

"So I thought it more important to treat Elphie's wounds."

"What was wrong?"

"Water burns her.  You knew about her allergy."  
"Oh, yes.  Glinda told us all she knew last night, while we were looking."

"Her gloves got wet, and hurt her pretty bad."

Boq nodded.  "So where are you off to?"

"Same as you.  To check on Elphie."

"You care a lot about her lately, eh?"

Fiyero shrugged.  Boq cocked an eyebrow at him.

"What?"

"She stayed with you last night.  What's up with you two?"

"Nothing's **up**, literally or figuratively."

Boq chuckled.   "Sure."

Fiyero shook his head.  "People misunderstand her.  I care."

"Hey, I like Elphie."

"I know.  It's just Avaric gave me a hard time earlier."

"Yeah, they hate each other."

Fiyero nodded.

"You really care about her though, don't you?  There's something there, Fiyero."

"I don't know when it happened.  I mean, I've always liked Elphie too, but not like that.  Then all of a sudden, I don't know."

"Wow, you're even more smitten than I'd thought."

"Smitten?"

"Yeah, I'd say smitten."

Boq began to walk down the hall, and Fiyero followed continuing the conversation all the way to Crage Hall.

"I wouldn't call it smitten.  Quite."

"No?"

"I care about her, but…"

"You were awfully close last night."  
"We were partners!"

"And she spent the night with you."

"So?  She was hurt."

"Did she stay in your bed?"

"Yes…"

Boq grinned.  "Were you in it?"

Fiyero hesitated.  "Yes."

"And you **still** deny it?"

"I guess not."

Boq smiled, pleased with the results of his line of questioning.  He found this new development interesting, but he was happy that someone else cared about Elphie. 

"Hey, Fiyero, you said you mended her hands.  Did she actually let you touch her?"

"Yeah."

"That's uncommon."

"She sort of trusts me."

"Sort of?"

"She still has some issues.  Like being fine with something at one point, then being uncomfortable."

"Ah.  But she lets you touch her?"

"Well, that depends.  Most recently, yes."

"So most recently means in bed?"

"Boq!"

"Well?"

"It's none of your business."

Boq was squinting at him, trying to make him uncomfortable.  It worked. 

"I held her, yes.  It's none of your business."

"Fine, fine…"

"Shh.  Quiet now.  We don't want to draw attention to our presence."

"They nonchalantly walked through the main door to Crage Hall.  Fiyero led up the main stair quickly, and down the second floor hallway to room 22. 

"Are you sure this is the right room?" Boq whispered.

"Yes."

"Been here before?"

"Yes…"

"Oh?"

"Now's not the time for a story."

"Nifty name tags," Boq grinned.

"Useful."

Fiyero rapped gently on the door.  Glinda opened it. 

"What are you two doing here?"  she screeched.

"We came to check on things," Boq announced.

"Things are fine.  Out!"

"How's Elphie doing?" Fiyero asked.

"She's sleeping.  Out."  Glinda paused.  "How did you get up here?"

"Not that hard," Fiyero grinned.

"It's certainly hard enough to sneak **out**."

"You should ask Elphie for tips.  She's good at it," Boq laughed.

"I know, she's always getting away with stuff."

"What time did she come back?"  Fiyero inquired.

"I don't know.  She's been here since I got up at 10.  And she's asleep, so I couldn't ask her where she'd been."

Boq looked to Fiyero, who shot him a look strong _not now_ look. 

"What?  What's going on?"  Glinda demanded.  "Do you know where she was?"

"I took care of her hands."

"Oh!  We couldn't find her."

"Yeah, she had to wait out the rain."

"Oh, that makes sense."

"I need to check on her."

"She's sleeping."

"I'll be quick."

"Fiyero."

"Glinda."

The two squared off.  Boq backed away.

"You can't go in."

"I need to check on her bandages."

"When she wakes up."

"The bandages might be sticking to her wounds, and that would be bad."

"Eww."

"Right.  Eww.  So let me check on her."

"Um, alrighty," Glinda stepped out of the way, a bit disturbed.  "Let me just grab my purse, and Boq, would you be a doll and escort me into town?"

"Certainly, Miss Glinda."

Fiyero snickered, and Boq glared at him as Glinda flittered across the room, and back to them. 

"I'm sorry, I just don't especially want to **see** the wounds.  I don't have the stomach for things like that."

Fiyero nodded to her.  It was genuine.  She seemed concerned, but knew her own limits. 

"Ready?" Boq asked.

"Yes.  And you'll be fine alone?"

"I'm sure he will be,"  Boq grinned, to which Fiyero quickly nodded in agreement.

And they were gone, leaving him alone with a sleeping Elphie.

FEEDBACK!


	8. Checkup

A Lazy Afternoon

Disclaimer:  I don't own these characters.

Author's Question:  As I haven't seen the musical yet, just read some really good summaries(though I'm always looking for better, if anyone knows of good ones or can provide one) and listened to it excessively,  my question is:  Does Elphie call Fiyero "Yero my hero" in the musical, too?  I know it's a book thing, but I see a lot of references to that phrase, so I figured it was in both.

Chapter 8

Fiyero closed the door, and grabbed a chair from the corner of the room.  He brought it up back to the side of Elphie's bed, where it had been the day before.  She was breathing regularly, that was good.  Her meager blanket was pulled up to her chin, covering all clothing, though he assumed she was still wearing his things, as her hands were useless for things like buttons right now.   His belt still tied up her hair.  He was surprised that Glinda had not mentioned it, for it was very unlike Elphie.

He lifted the blanket a bit, to look at her hands.  They were lightly clenched this time, not clenched tight, but getting there.  Elphie stirred slightly and Fiyero replaced the blanket.  Her eyes blinked open.

"What…are you…doing here?"

"I came to check on you."

"Glinda…let…you in?"

"After a bit of a battle, which I'm surprised did not wake you. She ended up leaving because I said I needed to treat the wounds again, which I do, mind you, and she did not want to see them."

"Not…sur…prising."

"How are you?"

"Okay."

"You sound weak."

"I…my…hands…hurt…like hell."

Fiyero nodded.  "Let's sit you up, and I'll work on them."

"Okay."

Elphie fought to sit up, and Fiyero provided a hand on her back for assistance.

"Why did you leave?"

"It was…nine-thirty…I know that…Glinda gets up…at 10…when we don't have class."

"And you could maintain the illusion that you came back in the middle of the night?"

"Yeah."

"She has no idea when you come back."

"Good."

Fiyero sat on the bed beside her, and opened his bag.  Slowly he undid the bandages on her shoulders.  These wounds were doing well.  He dabbed a bit of the antiseptic ointment on, and recovered them. 

"That one looks okay."

"It doesn't really hurt."

"Good."

Gingerly, he pulled the gloves from her fingers, and began to unwind the bandage.   It wasn't sticking too badly.  The skin underneath was still red and raw. 

"I'm going to thoroughly clean them again, so I'm numbing it first."

"Good."

He soaked a cloth in the anesthetic, and ran it over her hands.

"Let it kick in for a minute,"  he caressed her arm, gently. 

She shivered, and looked up at him.  He was sure he was going to tell him to stop it.

"Hold me."

That was certainly not what he was expecting to hear, but he obliged quickly, scooting behind her, and wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her against his chest.  He softly stroked her side.  They sat in pleasant silence."

"So Glinda doesn't know I stayed with you, right?"

"She knows, but she doesn't know it was all night."

"Thinks I just waited out the rain?"

"Yes."

"Good."

Fiyero pondered for a moment, then finally decided to tell her though.

"Boq knows though."

"Fiyero!"

She spun to face him, tucking her knees up.

"He needled me about it, till I told him."

"I'm sure he tore it out of you."

"Elphie."

She glared at him. 

"Elphie…"

"Just finish my hands."

"Are they numb?"

"They're fine."

"Put down your knees."

She straightened out her legs, overlapping them with his.  He took her right arm, and gently rubbed more of the dead skin off with his antiseptic.  Elphaba gritted her teeth.

"Do you want me to wait a bit longer?"

Discouraged, she nodded.

"Hey, I'm sorry I told Boq."

She stared down at her hand. "They're pretty wrecked, aren't they?"

"They'll heal," he grasped her right hand, lifting it to his lips, and kissing it softly.

Elphaba smiled.  "I wish I could feel that.  Anesthetic…"

Fiyero laughed.  "That's right."

He leaned in, and kissed her forehead.  "I assume you felt that?"

"Yeah…"

She looked at him shyly.  They were sitting in an incredibly intimate position, facing each other, with her legs nearly wrapped around his waist.  She dropped her gaze, uncomfortably.  He stroked her arms.  She let her head rest on his shoulder. 

"I'm really worried about my hands.  They're so hard to move right now."

"Well, they're still swollen.  That'll go down."

"What do you think will work best?"

"Hmmm,"  Fiyero thought for a while, running his fingers along her back.  "Oooh…maybe if we melt paraffin, and put the medicines into it."

"But then I wouldn't be able to move my hands, right?"

"Yes, but we could do it at night."

She nodded, pulling away from him, offering her hand.  She barely flinched when he began working again.  The anesthetic kicked in.  He cleaned and dressed the wounds. 

"Would I need to stay with you again to try the paraffin?"

"I could do it here if you want."

"No, that's okay.  I'll come.  You're bed's comfortable."

Fiyero smiled.

"Don't get too big a head."

"I will not."

"Now, go away, I need to change."

"Do you need help?"

"That sounds wrong, even though I knew you have good intentions."

Fiyero shrugged. 

"No, I can dress myself."

"Even with the wounded hands?"

She nodded.  "Wait for me downstairs.  Outside to be safe.  We'll go into Shiz for some food."

"That sounds nice," he kissed her forehead again, and got up.  "I'll see you in a bit."

She grinned widely, and waved him goodbye. 

FEEDBACK!


	9. At the cafe

A Lazy Afternoon

Disclaimer:  I don't own these characters.

Chapter 9      

"Tea doesn't bother you?"

"No, I've always liked tea."

"I guess the chemical composition is different enough."

"Yeah, it must be.  It doesn't even burn."

"Unless its too hot," Fiyero grinned.

"Ha. Ha.  Ha."

"Hey, be nice."

"Poor joke."

He shrugged sheepishly.  "What variety would you like?"

"Peppermint."

"Peppermint?"

"Yes, peppermint.  That's my favorite."

"That is not a flavor I would have pegged you for."

"I'm full of surprises."

"As I am well learning."

Elphaba smiled and sat on a floor cushion by the fireplace in the café.

"I'll be right back."

She watched Fiyero walk over to the counter.  He was looking especially handsome again today.  Hell, why was she trying to kid herself, he **always** looked handsome.  His blue diamonds mesmerized her.  And he really seemed to care about her.  She had already opened up to him more than anyone else, ever.  His arms felt amazing.

"Here you go.  Peppermint tea.  Do you need sugar?"

"No, I take it black."

Fiyero sat beside her, and set about pouring sugar into his tea.  Elphaba watched him curiously.

"What?"

"Nothing," she smiled.

"Bullshit."

"I'm surprised you use so much sugar."

"I've never been able to drink it plain.  I didn't even like tea until I got to Shiz."

"No?"

"I grew up on coffee.  Strong but sweet."

"Ugh, I hate coffee."

"It takes getting used to."

"What kind did you get?"

"I decided to try the peppermint."

"What do you think?"

He lifted his mug to his lips and took a sip. "Not bad."

"Well, that's a start." 

She placed her own mug on the small table in front of them, scowling.

"What's wrong?"

"Mug's hot."

"Irritating the burns?"

"Yeah."

He took her hands tenderly.  They were no covered in stylish looking blue gloves. 

"They'll get better."

"I know.  It's just frustrating."

"At least you're not losing sensation.  That would indicate something was very wrong."

"Yeah…"  She looked down at their intertwined hands. "No loss of sensation."

He ran his thumb over the top of her hand, squeezing gently.  She shivered, and smiled.  She had never trusted anyone like this.  It was a bit  disconcerting.

"Are you okay?"

Fiyero lifted his hand up to her hair, which was still pulled back with his belt.

"Hmmm?"

"Are you all right?  You seem kind of vacant."

"I'm just thinking."

She leaned back against the wall, taking her hands away from his.  Fiyero leaned beside her, but respected her distance.  He kept his hands by his side.

"Something's bothering you."

Elphaba shrugged.

"Am I making you uncomfortable?"

"No," she answered quickly, then quietly added, "Not exactly."

"Not exactly?"

"I have issues with touching, and trust in general.  They're hard to get past."

"Do you trust me?"

"I think so…yes…yes, I do."

"I'm not offended that you merely thing you do…"

"Fiyero…"

"Elphie…I know that you're not going to get over your trust issues overnight.  Even an odd night like last night."

"I slept well."

"Good.  I wanted you to."

"Nothing like a heartbeat."

Fiyero smiled, and felt his cheeks getting warm and flushed.

"So just bear with me if you will."

He nodded.  His left hand was slowly inching its way to her right.  Meeting, they locked together.

"Have you ever had trust issues?"

Fiyero shook his head.  "I grew up being alone a lot.  I had my parents, but in the Vinkus there are a lot of trials of survival.  So I was by myself, and had to learn to read people, or rather, signs in general.  It's a very important survival skill."

"And one I suck at.  I've always just ignored people.  Especially those who balk at my skin color."

Fiyero ran his finger along her cheek. "Not much green today. Only your face."

"It's very rare I wear I sleeveless dress."

"You should more often."

Elphie smiled.  "You know what I wish I **could** wear more often?"

"What?"

"Breeches.  Those were so comfortable."

Fiyero laughed.  "Well, they were pajama pants.  Real breeches are not as comfortable."

"But infinitely more covenient."

"Oh?"

"Skirts are a pain in the ass."

"Bulky?"

"Yes, bulky, sweaty…"

"Well, you don't have to wear layers."

"I do when its this humid."

"Ah."

"What is this rope that's in my hair, anyways?  It makes such a good hair tie."

"A belt."

"Yours?"

"Yeah. I needed to get your hair off your back last night."

"It's nice.  Do you want it back?"

"Eventually.  No rush."

Elphaba lay her head against his shoulder.

"Tired?"

"A little.  I've felt pretty weak today, despite getting plenty of sleep."

"You've been through a lot."

"I hate being hurt."

"I know."  He slipped his arm around her shoulders. "Do you want to head back?"

"Not yet.  Enjoy the atmosphere.  Read something.  I'll be fine."

"You're sure you don't mind staying?"

"No, I like it here."

She scooted to lay down with her head on his thigh.  His hand rest on her back, his fingers lightly stroking the thick black fabric of her dress.

FEEDBACK!


	10. Touch Issues

A Lazy Afternoon

Disclaimer:  I don't own these characters.

Chapter 10

Elphaba sat on her bed filling her backpack with things she thought she'd need for the night.  Glinda was painting her nails at the vanity.

"Do you like this color?...where are you going?"

"Out."

"Gee, I couldn't figure that out."

"Just out."

"Where Elphie?  Obviously all night somewhere…"

"Glinda…"

"Oh!  Are you going to Fiyero's again?  How are your hands?"

"They hurt but…"

"Are they really nasty looking?"

Elphie stared down at her gloved hands. 

"I'm sorry.  I didn't mean…I, uh, don't do well with wounds, that's why I left earlier."

Glinda came and sat down beside Elphie.

"It's okay."

"I felt bad leaving you alone, but you don't care about things like chaperones."

"No, certainly not.  I was kind of glad to deal with just Fiyero.  It hurt like hell."

"Aww, Elphie.  And you want to be alone in pain?"

"Not alone, just not around a lot of people."

Glinda nodded.

"So, yes, I'm going to Fiyero's.  He's going to try paraffin on my hands to rehydrate them."

"So you'll be there all night?"

"Yes.  It's not what you think…"

"I didn't say anything…"

"I'm sure you're thinking it, it's the obvious conclusion…"

"Really, I didn't get it…"

"It was Boq's first conclusion."

"Really?"

"That's what Fiyero said."

"He didn't say anything about it to me.  I had lunch with him today."

"Well, that's good."

"Is there actually anything happening," Glinda giggled, "between you and Fiyero?"

"No…"

"No?"

"No."  Elphie sounded a bit dejected.

"I just thought it would be nice for you to have someone.  He's very nice."

"You're not interested?"

Glinda quickly shook her head.  "We're not of the same, uh, class."

"He's a prince…"

"But in the Vinkus…"

"So its his skin color?"

"I don't know, Elphie, I guess so."

"I love his skin color."

"You grew up around more diversity than I did.  And you're more…understanding to…I'm trying really hard to not sound like a bigot…its just how I was raised.  Hard habits to break."

Elphaba nodded.

"The color is one thing.  But I find the blue diamonds just weird…"

"His blue diamonds are beautiful!"

Glinda looked up at Elphie's face, surprised to hear so much passion in her voice.

"Nothing's going on in there?"  Glinda pointed to Elphaba's heart.

Elphie hesitated.

"It would be great for you to have someone like that."

"I don't know…"

"How does he feel?"

Elphie shrugged.

"It certainly seemed like he cared earlier when he was forcing me to let him see you."

"Yesterday, when I first got hit by a rain drop, he was so worried.  He sat in that chair, and watched until I fell asleep."

"Awww…that's so sweet.  Elphie, he so likes you likes you."

"I don't know."

"I'll ask Boq."

"No!"

"Okay…"

A knock on the door interrupted their exchange.  Elphie bounded up, and pulled the door open, revealing Fiyero and Boq.

"Come along as a greeting party?"

"Haha." Boq growled, and crossed over to Glinda.

Fiyero shrugged, and muttered to Elphie, "He insisted on coming. No doubt to see her."

Elphie laughed.

"You guys have got to stop sneaking in her like this," Glinda chided.

"It's not exactly sneaking.  It's actually rather easy.  We just walk right in."

Glinda shook her head.

"Ready?" Fiyero asked.

"Just about.  We got talking and I stopped getting things together."

Fiyero laughed. "Of course."

Elphie glared at him.

"I'm just kidding."

He pinched her arm playfully.

"Ow!"

She went to smack him, but thought the better of it, and elbowed him instead.

"Aw, that hurt."

He sat back against the pillows on her bed.  She began to put a few more books in her satchel.  He pulled a pillow out from behind him, and whacked her with it.  Glinda giggled, and she and Boq saw on her bed to watch the ensuing battle.  Fiyero hit her with the pillow again.  Elphie turned to him, enraged.  Lifting her leg, she kicked at him.  He caught it, and pulled her down onto the bed.  She fell back against him.  He began to tickle her, and she writhed in his grasp.  Glinda was beside herself with laughter. 

"And she doubts that he's interested?"

"She doubts it?  He's so smitten."

"Smitten?"

"Well, that's an accurate word."

"I suppose.  No one uses it."

"That's what Fiyero said."

Elphaba had managed to pull herself up to her knees, and dropped forward into a curled up fetal position.  Fiyero knelt beside her, but sensing her discomfort, backed off.

"Sorry." He laid his hand on her back, and she shuddered away.

"It's okay.  I'm done.  I am sorry."

He lay down on his side next to her, their heads nearly touching.

"Elphie, I'm sorry.  I did not mean to scare you."

"I'm not scared!"  her voice was shaking.

"Okay.  Then I did not mean to put you in an uncomfortable position."

Glinda stood up quietly, and pulled Boq by the shirt. "Let's leave them alone for a minute," she whispered, and they left as noiselessly as they could.

Fiyero lay silently beside Elphie.

"I should have known better."

She turned her head slightly to face him.

"I completely forgot, for the moment, that you have touch issues."

"I…"

"We'd been doing so well, earlier."

Elphie rolled onto her side, and Fiyero grabbed her hands.

"I don't want to upset you.  Ever.  I fully understand if you would like to just be alone tonight.  We can do the paraffin another time."

"No…"  Elphie sat up.  "I want to do it tonight.  I'm not made at you per se."

He scooted his head onto her lap and looked up at her, waiting for her to continue. 

"I was scared.  I'll admit it now that we're alone.  I felt trapped."

"Elphie, I…"

"I knew you didn't mean to, Yero.  But you're right, I have touch issues."

"It's okay now.  I'm really sorry."

"I'm making progress, but as Glinda and I were talking about earlier, some habits are hard to break," Elphaba pursed her lips together, trembling.

He lifted a hand to her cheek, caressing it gently.

"I hate being weak."

"You are not weak."

"I hate showing weakness then, if you're playing in semantics."

"Elphie…you don't always have to be strong."

He sat up, and pulled her to him.  She returned the embrace.  Finally, they broke apart.

"Ready to go?"

Elphaba nodded.  "Time to find Boq and pry him away from Glinda."

He grinned, and handed her the satchel.

FEEDBACK!!!


	11. Paraffin

A Lazy Afternoon

Disclaimer:  I don't own these characters

Author's Note:  Thanks for all the great reviews(and pushing this story up to my highest review count ever, by a long shot).  To answer questions, this has been written so fast because I've had a show I was ASMing that once I got into a rhythm on, there were large gaps between my cues, so I wrote.  I've just always been able to write fast.  Second, this kiss is coming.  It's been written.   That's all I'll say:-P  Anyways, it actually _hasn't_ been that long, in the story timeline…its only been the course of 2 days so far.

Chapter 11

"This stuff feels weird."

"It's setting."

"That's what's weird."

"Are you all right?"

"I think so.  It's a bit disconcerting not to be able to move my hands."

"You should be able to break the wax if you squeeze hard enough.  It's not that strong."

"Good."

Elphie sat on Fiyero's bed, and curled her knees up to her chest, letting her arms fall limply to her side.  She rest her chin on her knee and frowned.  Fiyero sat beside her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

"What's wrong?"

"I can't do anything."

"Like what?"

"Read."

"Sleep then?"

"I should finish that chapter for Life Sciences."

"Why did you not earlier?"

She scowled.  "I didn't think of it.  I forgot my hands would be captive."

"I'll hold your book if you want."

"No, that's okay.  I'll just read tomorrow morning."

Fiyero nodded.  "Sleep?"

"Tired are we?"

He shrugged.  "I didn't sleep well last night."

"No?"

"No."

"Why?"

Fiyero looked into Elphaba's dark eyes.  "I was worried…"

"You shouldn't have be…"

"You were so hurt."

"Not that bad."

"Yes, that bad."

"I felt much better by the time I fell asleep."

"Well, I was terrified."

She kept his gaze.  "Really?" 

It was soft, hesitant.  Fiyero nodded, grazing her cheek with his thumb.  He continued the digit across her lips, looking to her for an indication of how she felt.  She was tensing.  He backed off a bit.  Elphie took a deep breath, then stood up and crossed around the bed.  She awkwardly tried to push the covers back with her elbows, until Fiyero did it for her.

Elphie frowned.

"It's okay, climb in."

She wiggled into the covers.  He lay next to her.

"Just sleep."

"Easy to say.  Hard to do."

"I know.  I am not one to talk."

She inched closer to him.  He wrapped his arm around her, and she lay her head against his chest.

"This is nice," Fiyero cooed.

"Mmm."

"Are you comfortable?"

"Mmmhmm."

"Good."

"Your blanket is soft."

"I have a few.  You can borrow one if you'd like."

"Perhaps."

He rubbed her back with his palm.  They lay in silence.  She began to squirm and shift, her breathing becoming faster.

"I can't do this."

"What's wrong?"

Elphaba fought to sit up.

"I can't…I…I…"

"Relax."

She was breathing deeply, trying to sit up.  He placed a hand on the small of her back to assist.  She was shaking.

"Elphie…what's wrong? What did I do?"

Finally, pulling arms out from the blanket, Elphie quickly clenched her hands into fists, breaking the wax casts that imprisoned her.  She looked down at her hands unhappily.  There was still paraffin stuck to them in many places.  Fiyero quickly retrieved his medicine chest, and a small trash can to place the wax pieces in.  He was a bit shaken, himself, from the amplitude of her reaction.  Covering a cloth in the antiseptic solution, he deftly sloughed the remaining wax.  He gingerly held her right hand in his, while he searched for the salve he had used before. 

"Are you okay now?"

Elphie nodded.  She was still visibly upset.  Finishing his treatment, Fiyero tossed his bag on the floor, and crawled up behind Elphaba.  Cautiously, he lay his hands on her shoulders, and pulled her against his chest.  She didn't fight him, or say a word, but lay her head back.

After a long while, Fiyero finally asked, "What happened?"

"I don't know.  All of a sudden I felt trapped.  Not being able to move my hands."

"You really scared me, Elphie.  It was so sudden, such a strong reaction…"

"I'm okay.  I'm sorry."

"I thought I had crossed one of your boundaries again…"

"No!  You didn't…"

"I'm trying to be careful."  
"You're doing fine."

"Good."

They sat in silence for a while longer.  His arms had gradually wrapped themselves completely around her waist, and he was holding her rather tightly.  She was having a hard time keeping her eyes open. 

"I suppose I should go.  There's no real reason I have to stay anymore."

She pulled herself away and stood up.  Fiyero didn't move or say anything, just looked at her, surprised.

"I mean, I was staying because of the paraffin, and now I'm not doing that, so…"

Fiyero remained silent.

"Say something."

"What do you want me to say?"

Fiyero lay back on the bed, closing his eyes.

"I don't know…"

"I'm not going to beg you to stay again.  I'd like you to stay.  But I'm not going to beg.  You seem to want me to argue with you.  I don't have the energy."

"That's fine.  We don't need to argue."

Elphie crossed to the table her bag was on, and looked back at Fiyero.  He hadn't moved.  Her eyes swelled with tears, that burned as they traveled down her cheek.  He was breathing slowly and deeply.  She couldn't tell if he was crying or not.  Slowly, she tiptoed back over to the bed.  She couldn't leave him like this after what she'd put him through.  Wiping her face with her sleeve, she sat beside him.  He turned away from her quickly, not wanted her to see that he was indeed crying.  She crawled closer, and placed her hand on his shoulder, running his down his arm and across his back.  It was odd.  Compassion was not something  that she was familiar with.  But she continued, and reached around to wipe his face with her sleeve.

"Don't…you get wet."

"It's okay.  I'm fine."

She wiped his face, and he rolled to face her.

"I'm sorry.  I'll stay."

"You don't have to if you don't wa…"

"I want to."

"Oh."

"I was just concerned that I was imposing."  
"You're not.  I'd like you to stay, Elphie."

She crawled into the blanket, and he squirmed into it.  They looked at each other awkwardly for a moment, then curled closer, quickly drifting off to sleep.

FEEDBACK!!


	12. Good Morning!

A Lazy Afternoon

Disclaimer:  I don't own these characters.

Author's Note:  I have the kiss written, but I'm several chapters behind in typing up what I've written.  This chapter, however, has some fun to tide you over:-p

Chapter 12

When Fiyero awoke, Elphaba was still sound asleep.  Her head lay on his arm, and they had tangled in their sleep, and now her leg lay precariously over a very sensitive area.  He prayed she didn't say anything about it.  His arm was a bit numb where her head lay, but he didn't want to move her.  As he shifted slightly, she stirred.

"Hey."

"Hey…" she replied, groggily.

"Sleep well?"

"Mmmhmm," she nodded.

"Good, me too."

"What time is it?"

He pawed at the bedside table for his pocket watch.  "8:30."

"Plenty of time to make it to Life Sciences for 9:30."

"Yeah."

She shifted her leg, and he gasped.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Oh…"

Elphaba looked to him, curious.  He averted his gaze.  She moved her leg away.

"I'm, uh, sorry if I, uh, did, uh, that."

"No, its okay…it happens…randomly…don't worry."

"It just happens randomly?"

"Well, sometimes, yes."

"This time?"

"Ummm…maybe…I, um…yeah…"

Elphaba smiled and caressed his burning cheek.

"Sorry if I embarrassed you."

"No, its okay."

They sat in awkward silence for a moment before Elphie climbed out of bed.

"I brought a blue dress."

"Good."

"Now turn away while I change."

"Don't worry, watching you change is the last thing I need right now."

She giggled and turned from him.  She knew he had seen her naked, but that was different.  His attention then was on helping, not viewing.

"Safe to turn back."

"That's nice."

"Sure it is."

"Really."

She was wearing a blue skirt with a lighter blue short-sleeved top, and her long blue gloves.

"Wear your hair down."

"I like your belt."

"Wear it then.  Just not in your hair."

She pulled it from her hair, and tied it around her waist. 

"That works."

"I have a scarf too."

"Wear it."

She tied the royal blue scarf around her neck.  Fiyero sat up in bed. 

"You look very pretty."

Elphie shook her head.

"Yes, you do."

He climbed out of bed and walked over to his closet.  She sat on the bed.  He seemed to have calmed down.  She knew she should turn away, but stared transfixed as he peeled of his bed shirt, and stripped down to his underwear, then pulling on a pair of breeches.  Her eyes went wide when she saw that the beautiful blue diamonds continued all over his muscular chest.  She wanted a better look, but was not about to ask him to come over to her so she could examine his bare chest in greater detail.

"Earth to Elphie…"

She looked up, startled.

"I'm sorry."

"It's all right.  Where's your head right now?"

He sat down beside her, and looked at her, perplexed.  He was still sans shirt, and the words just weren't coming to her brain.  So she continued to stare.  The blue diamonds came down his neck in two lines, crossing at the center of his collarbone.  From there each line split in two, one side circling down around each nipple, the others continued down the center, crossing each other.  They went through a small patch of chest hair, before spiraling out from his belly button, and out of her view.  The arms of the spiral seemed to trace his well defined abs.  It was amazing.

"Interesting, huh?"

She looked up to his face, still unable to articulate how she felt.

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah…"

He grabbed her hand.  "You're really that mesmerized by the diamonds?"

"Yeah…I don't know why…they're just…amazing."

"You really think so?"

"The pattern on your chest is even more…breathtaking…than the one on your face.

He smiled.  "Thank you.  That was a wonderful compliment."

He pulled her in a deep hug.  She shivered as the uncovered part of her arm, then her cheek came into contact with his bare chest.  She lay contentedly in his arms for a minute or so, until the main clock of Shiz began to chime 9:00.

"Shit, we'd better hurry if we want to actually make breakfast today.  Some day, when we have time, I'll explain the significance of the patterns, since you like them so much."

"That would be nice."

Fiyero kissed her forehead, and pushed Elphie away.  He stood and slid his shirt over his head.  Returning to the closet, he picked out a royal blue vest.

"So much for reading Life Sciences this morning," Elphie laughed.

"Oh, shit.  Pray for no quiz."

"Definitely."

"Ready?" he extended his hand.  She took it, and stood.  He squeezed her hand, and led her through the door and down the hall.

FEEDBACK!


	13. The Yellow Parchment

A Lazy Afternoon

Disclaimer:  I don't own these characters.

Chapter 13

Elphaba sat on her bed, opening her math book.  She groaned.  Glinda came bursting through the door, and plopped herself onto Elphie's bed, disturbing her pile of books.

"Hey!"

"Sorry." 

Glind bent to pick up the fallen books.

"What's up?"

"When was the last time you saw Fiyero?"

"Oh, now I'm his keeper?"

"That's not what I was implying."

"I haven't seen him since Life Sciences first thing this morning."

"Oh."

"Why do you ask?"

"Boq was looking for him."

"Ah."

"Apparently, he got a letter from home earlier, and no one's seen him since.  He didn't seem happy."

"Really?"

Glinda nodded.  "That's all Boq told me.  He doesn't know what the letter said.

Elphie scowled.  "That doesn't sound good.  Nobody's seen him?"

"None of us."

"He's not just spending time alone in his room?"

"No answer when Boq checked.  It's possible."

"Hmmm."

"Will you try?"

Elphie looked to her.  "Why me?"

"Why you?  You've only been glued to him for the last two days."

"I have not."

"Yes, you have.  You've been with him a lot."

"I…"

"Who's room did you stay in last night?"

Elphie frowned.

"He'll talk to you, if anyone, Elphie.  You matter to him."

Slowly, Elphie nodded.  "Okay."

She stood, and waked to the door.

"You look nice today, by the way."

"Thank you, I guess."

"Learn to take a compliment."

"I…"

"Fiyero's influence?"

"Well, it was what I brought with me."

"For him."

"Fine, Glinda, for him."

Glinda smiled.  "I hope it works out."

Elphie sighed.  "We'll see."

She left the room, and quickly made her way to his room in Ozma Towers.  It was a beautiful day out.  She thought it unlikely, now, that he'd be in his room.  She rapped on the door.  No answer.  She knocked louder.

"Fiyero?  Fiyeeeerro…"

No answer.  Elphie knelt down and peered at the lock.  This would not be hard to pick.  She grabbed her own room key, and jammed it into the hole, wiggling it around.  She jiggled it until it caught, and she pushed the door open.  The bed was empty, as was the rest of the room.  He was not there.  She pulled the door shut, and headed back downstairs. Maybe he'd gone into town.  She meandered down the road, not holding much hope for finding him.  Ahead was the big willow tree she'd used as a shelter two nights before.  Suddenly, she was sure that's where he was. Elphie tiptoed under the long arms of the tree, to the trunk, and peered around.  Fiyero sat on the grass, leaning against the tree, his knees drawn up and eyes closed.   On the ground beside him lay his satchel, with a bright yellow piece of parchment sticking out.  The sun peeked through the gargantuan branches, casting an interesting pattern onto his shirt.  She slowly knelt beside him.  He still had not noticed her.  Cautiously, she reached out and lay her hand on his shoulder.

"Aah!" he yelled, and jumped away.

"Sorry."

Fiyero remained at a distance, drawing his knees up to his chest again. 

"What's wrong?"

"I just would like to be alone right now."

"Fiyero…"

"Elphaba…please.  Why the hell do you think I was hiding behind the tree?"

He turned away from her. 

"Glinda and Boq were concerned.  No one could find you.  They sent me."

"Why'd you look here?  They passed by without stopping."

"This is the tree I took cover under the other night."

He nodded.

"You wanted to be found…"

"No…"

He bowed his head, laying it on his knees.  Elphie crawled up behind him. 

"Please let me be alone."

"What's wrong?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Fiyero…"

"Please Elphie, let me be."

She sat in silence for a while. He remained curled up.  Elphie knelt up, and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.  She couldn't place what had prompted her to do it, but it felt like the right thing to do.  He tensed at first, then relaxed into her arms.  She sat back, holding on to him.  He had calmed down a bit, and was now breathing evenly.  She didn't want to push it, so she remained silent, just holding him for nearly an hour.  Finally, he sat up, and turned to face Elphaba.

"That position had gotten uncomfortable.  Sorry."

"It's okay.  How are you doing?"

He looked exhausted.

He shrugged. "I don't really want to talk about it yet," he grabbed her hand. "I promise that I'll tell you what's going on.  I just…need more time…to process it first."

She locked eyes with him.  "Okay, I can accept that.  What can I do for you now though?  I'm not leaving you."

She sat back against the tree.

"Just…hold me."

She nodded, and he crawled over to her, laying on her lap.  She ran her fingers through his dark hair, and down his back.  He curled as close to her as he could.  The heat radiating from her body to his was very comforting

His satchel was beside her, with its bright yellow document sticking out.  She was tempted to take a look at it, but she resisted.  Instead she rooted through her own satchel, and picked out an essay she needed to read.  And there they sat for the rest of the afternoon.

FEEDBACK!

Guess what's in the next chapter….  :-P


	14. A First

A Lazy Afternoon

Disclaimer:  I don't own these characters.

Author's Note:  Here's the chapter you've all been waiting for(and what a dirty chapter it became).  And animeluvr1, you were almost right on with your prediction…

Chapter 14

"Are you asleep?"

"No."

"Were you asleep?"

"No."

"It's getting dark.  We should head back."

"We already missed dinner."

"Do you want to get something to eat in town?"

"If you'd like."

"I am rather hungry."

He nodded, and hoisted himself off her lap.  He rubbed his eyes and stretched, standing up.  Extending his hand to Elphie, she took it, and was pulled to her feet.  She grabbed their satchels and handed him his.  He eyed the yellow paper. 

"I didn't touch it."

"I didn't say anything."

"I admit I was tempted, but I didn't touch it."

"Thank you."

She nodded.

"I'll tell you later."

They ate some soup at the tavern, then slowly made their way back through the temperate evening.  There was little talking, but it was a calm silence, not awkward.   Arriving at Ozma Towers, they paused. 

"Will you stay with me tonight?"  Fiyero asked softly, his eyes expressing his need. 

"Yes, of course." 

She squeezed his hand, and they crept up the stairs.  Once in his room, Fiyero kicked off his shoes, pulled off his shirt, and collapsed on his bed.  Elphie crossed to the bed, and removing her own shoes, sat beside him.  She rest her hand on his knee.  His eyes were closed.  The way his pants fell, she could see a bit more of the diamond pattern beneath his belly button.  It flared, and curled. 

"How are you holding up?"

He shrugged. "You can read it now if you'd like."

She reached forward and retrieved it from his bag.  It was a gorgeous, yellow, official parchment.  She read down the page, her face hardening.  His mother had died. 

"I'm sorry, Fiyero."

She wrapped her arms around him.  He curled against her. 

"Will you be  going home for a funeral?  Is that a custom in the Vinkus?"

"Look at the date."

Elphie raised the paper again.  January, the 15th. 

"That was 4 months ago!"

"Yeah…"  He was shaking again.

"How come you are only just getting this now?"

He took a deep breath.  "In the winter, there is no way in or out of the Vinkus if the storms get too bad, which they usually do."

"Oh."

"This letter has probably been in transit since that date."

"I'm sorry."

"I'll be okay.  I just have to process it."

"What do you need?"

"A friend."

She hugged him tightly.

 "It just seems so weird, that when I saw her…8 months ago…it…it…would be…the….last time."

He collapsed into sobs, and Elphie held him as close as she could, until finally the shuddering subsided.  He sat up,  and crossed to his bureau, pulling out two pairs of pajama pants., and a shirt.

"Here.  You probably don't have your own jammies tonight." His voice was still hoarse. 

"No, I don't. Thank you."

He pulled off his pants.  She longed to see how the diamond continued, but this new removal didn't indicate much more.  He switched the rough breeches with the softer flannel.  Elphie slowly undid the buttons of her dress.  She untied the scarf, and belt, and removed her socks.  He was watching her intently.

"Fiyero…"

"Sorry," he spun around.  "Though you watched me change.  Twice now."  There was a glimmer of mischief in his voice, which Elphie took as a good sign, under the circumstances. 

"I know, but…"

"It's okay.  I'm turned."

"All right," she smiled. 

It didn't really bother her that much, but she wanted to try to maintain some sliver of propriety, if that was even still possible.  Considering it, she decided it wasn't really.  He had seen her naked before, though under completely benign circumstances, she had seen him nearly naked, and this would be their third night sharing the same bed.  She looked over at him.  He wasn't bothering with a shirt tonight.  The diamonds on his back formed a very distinct pattern, that she was sure had a story behind it.  She'd have to ask him sometime.  He was still turned away, but she   had a feeling that he could see her in the mirror.  Oh well, she thought, and finished changing quickly.  She plopped down on the blanket.

"Come to bed my little spy."

He smirked, and climbed up beside her.

"At least it made you smile," she grinned.

He blushed, and she raised her hands up to his warm cheek, pinching it.

"Hey!"

She stuck her tongue out at him quickly, so as to not irritate her lips.  He caught her by the waist, and yanked her closer.

"Teasing me, eh?"

"If that's what it takes."

He rest his forehead against hers.  His breath burned her cheek lightly, but she was too taken to move away.  Ever so slowly he moved in.  She tensed, slightly, but did not break.  His lips brushed hers, very gently at first, then apply more pressure as she engaged.  Her lips locked against his.  She had never felt anything like this before.  It was frightening, and at the same time, exhilarating.  Their lips mashed, and explored each other.  His hands ran through her hair, hers along his side.  Finally, they broke apart, breathless.  Her hands caught his, and she squeezed them lightly.  They were both breathing deeply. 

"How was that?" he asked.

"Wow."

"Wow?" he laughed.    
"I…I don't know what to say."

"Wow is fine." He grinned broadly, and she buried her face in his chest to hide her embarrassment.  She turned her head to the side, letting her green cheek rest against his warm, dark flesh.  Her fingers traced along the blue diamond pattern, and he shivered.  She spiraled her finger along the pattern at his navel, and he grasped the blanket tightly in his hand, gasping. 

"Elphie…" he managed, fighting the tension growing within him, "that feels so good."

"Yeah?"

She still wouldn't look up at him, but rather continued to trace the diamonds.  She tried to see if she had provoked a similar reaction as in the morning, curious to see exactly how that worked.  She was sure she had.

"Mmm," he grunted, unable to truly speak. 

Elphie sat up.  He was flushed, even through his dark skin.  He squirmed uncomfortably.

"I had no idea what I was doing…during the kiss…" Elphie admitted.

"Neither did I.  I think its one of those things that just comes to you."

"I don't know. I had no idea what to do with my tongue, so I kept it in my mouth."

Fiyero laughed.  "I wasn't sure if I'd hurt you if I used my tongue."

"Hmm.."

"So I just played with the lips."  
"Try."

"Try what?"

"Using your tongue, to see if it hurts."

"I can't hurt you!"

"We don't know if it will."

"Likely it will."

"Try it.  Just lick my lip or something."

Fiyero laughed, but leaned in and licked her quickly, giggling all the while.  Elphie raised her finger to her lips, and ran it across.   Slight burning, that couldn't challenge her excitement at the pass of his tongue.  She pulled him closer, but he paused.

"Did that hurt?"

"It's okay.  Only a little burn."

"Elphie…"

"Fiyero, kiss me again before my euphoria wears off and I change my mind."

He quickly obliged  Their heads came together, seeking comfort in each other lips.  Gently he lowered her back against the pillow, still engulfed in the kiss.  For a while, nothing mattered but themselves.

FEEDBACK!! 


	15. Am I here?

A Lazy Afternoon

Disclaimer:  I don't own these characters.

Chapter 15

Elphaba blinked awake.  The sun was streaming through Fiyero's window, acting as a rude alarm clock.  Fiyero lay curled up against her, oblivious.  His body must have learned to sleep through the early morning sun.  She was glad her own room did not face east.  His right arm was slung across her waist, and his right knee over hers.  What a crazy night it had been.  Though she really had no idea of time, she decided that she had kissed him for at least an hour, and that thought perplexed her.  A kiss was such a strange sensation for someone who had never known love…

Commotion outside the door snapped her out of her daydream.

"Pick it," Avaric commanded.

"I don't know how to pick a lock," Boq whined.  "You do it."

"I figured you might have some idea…"

"Why? Because I'm a Munchkinlander?"

"That's not what I was saying...quite."

"We could just knock on the door, and call him again."

"But he could just not be answering the door."

"Yeah…"

Boq slammed his fist against the door, 3 times. "Fiyero!"

Fiyero's head popped up groggily.  "What the hell is that?"

"They're trying to determine if you're here.  Are you?"

He yawned and stretched. 

"I don't think its working," Boq lamented.

"We'll have to figure out someway to pick it then.  Go find a pair of pliers."

"Why?"

"Just do it."

Fiyero sat up.  "I should go greet them, eh?"

"They're probably concerned.  They were yesterday.  I was supposed to find out for them, and I never came back last night."

"So Glinda's probably worried about you too…"

"No, probably not."

"I thought she cared about you now."

"Oh, she does.  But at this point, I'm pretty sure she'd assume I'm here if I don't come back."

"Ah."

Fiyero grinned, and climbed out of bed.  "I still don't really want to talk about this, but here goes nothing."

"Wait…Fiyero, should I be visible?"

He hesitated.

"I'll hide."

"No…you don't have to."

"I should.  It just wouldn't look right."

He nodded, and she climbed out of bed, and went into the closet to change.   A fist came down on the door again. 

"Fiyero, chap, where are you?"

Fiyero swung the door open.  "What the hell is this racket?"

"Hey, man!  Where have you been?"

"Sleeping.  As most people do at 7am."

"Sorry, chap, we were just concerned.  Nobody'd seen you since early morning yesterday."

"I was dealing with something."

"You all right?"

"Yeah…I'll be fine."

"I found them!" Boq shouted, running down the hall.  "Oh, he opened the door."

"Yep."

Fiyero stood in the aperture of the doorway, and Boq tried to peer around him.

"What exactly are you looking for?"

"Oh, uh, nothing…"

"Uh huh."

"Are you coming to breakfast?" Avaric asked.

"No."

"No?"

"No.  I have a ton of reading to do, that didn't get done yesterday."

"What did you do yesterday?"

"A lot of thinking."

"What happened?"

At that moment, Glinda came skipping down the hall.  "This was easy to get to," she smiled.  "Fiyero! How are you?"

"I'm fine."

She looked at him, uncomfortably.  He was still not wearing a shirt.

"Did Elphie ever find you yesterday?"

"Yep."

"Is she still here?  She didn't come back last night."

Boq and Avaric looked to him expectantly.  There was no way of keeping this ruse up any  longer. 

"Yes, she's just finishing getting ready, right now."

"I'll be out there in a second!" Elphie called.

"Oh, good.  I was worried about her.  I mean, I figured that she'd find you sooner than any of us.  Then when she didn't come back last night, I figured she was here, but I still wanted to know what's going on.  Where were you yesterday?"

The group looked to Fiyero.

"I received a parchment from home yesterday.  An unfortunate notification that my mother has passed on."

"Oh no!" Glinda cried.

"It's okay, I've been processing this for a good day now.  And because of the winter in the Vinkus, while I'm only just getting this now, it happened in January."

"That's horrible!" Glinda interjected again.

"It is, but it also in a way allows me to find closure sooner."

Elphie came out into the doorway.  She was wearing the same blue skirt she had on the day before, and a dark blue tunic of Fiyero's that she found in the closet.  Boq looked to Glinda snickering, she shot him a 'now-is-not-the-time' glare.   Even Avaric kept his mouth shut.

"Fiyero," Glinda began.  "I'm so sorry."

The boys nodded their agreement.

"Thank you.  It happened, I have to get over it.  Elphie calmed me down yesterday."

He squeezed her hand, which she awkwardly took back immediately after. 

"Good.  If you need anything, just let us know," Glinda offered.

"I will. Now if you guys don't mind, I have to get ready in order to make class on time."

Avaric, Boq, and Glinda began down the hall.

"Are you coming?" Glinda asked Elphie. 

She looked at her, uncertain.

"We'll be along later," Fiyero answered. "She still got some stuff inside."

Glinda nodded, and continued along.  Elphie and Fiyero backed into his room, closing the door.  He sat down on the bed. 

"Well, that was awkward," Elphie sighed, crossing to sit beside him.  "You holding up okay?"

Fiyero nodded, absently, and curled himself into her lap. 

"You seemed to stay pretty strong."

"I didn't want them to see me break."

"But you're close?"

"I don't know…I don't mind you seeing me like this, but I'd rather the others not."

"Trust me, I completely understand that."

He squeezed her knee. "Yeah, I guess so."

He sat up.  "I'm sorry if you didn't want them to see you here."

"No, once Glinda showed up I knew it was inevitable."

He nodded, and pulled her closer to him.  She tensed.

"You okay?"

"Yes," she answered softly.

"May I kiss you again?"

She looked up into his eyes, and leaned in.  His lips met hers, gently.  It was a slow, tender kiss, a far cry from the passion of the night before, but incredibly genuine in feeling.  Breaking apart, he pulled her tightly to him, and held her for a long while.

FEEDBACK!


	16. Candle Boats

A Lazy Afternoon               

Disclaimer:  I don't own these characters

Author's Note:  Sorry for the lack of updates.  Busy Weekend.  I'm trying to figure out right now if I'm going to shoot for finishing this story before I go away to work at the O'Neill Theatre Center in July.  I don't think I'll finish it before then, so updates are likely to be sporadic come July 1st, because while I'm sure I'll have internet access of some type, who knows how frequent that'll be. 

Chapter 16

Fiyero lay on his stomach on the wall abutting the river.  Bright sunshine had turned into a dismal, grey day.  It rather mirrored his current disposition.  The thrill of the night had given way to the dull heartache he had felt previously.  A day of classes had done little to assuage the growing melancholy.  He hadn't seen Elphaba since breakfast, and that hadn't helped either.  And yet, she was another cause of worry in his already reeling mind.  He had been ecstatic when Elphie allowed him to kiss her, and even showed enthusiasm at that.  What a kiss it had been.  But part of him was concerned that it would end up being a one time thing.  She had a penchant for being okay with something one time, and disallowing it the next.  He couldn't dwell on it, or it would drive him crazy.  Only time would tell.

The group was assembling by the river wall at five, for a bit of a memorial for Fiyero's mother.  It had been Glinda's idea.  They were going to release a small fleet of candles on small wooden rafts.  These were merely the candles holders, but Glinda assured him that they'd float; she'd done this type of thing before.  At present the river was dark and foreboding.  Its murky water lapped against the side of the wall, as the swift current pulled toward the Emerald City.  Fiyero wasn't sure the candles would last more than 30 seconds in choppy water, but it was the thought that counted. 

A duck bobbed along the current, staring blankly ahead, oblivious to its observation.  Fiyero glanced up at the massive clock tower that loomed over the university quadrangle.  It was visible from nearly the entire city.  4:30.  He still had a bit of time to wait before the others came out to join him.  He drew his arms up in front of him, and lay his head down, staring blankly at the stone wall on the opposite side of the river.

"Now take the ribbon, and tie it around the candle like this," Glinda instructed.

Elphaba held up her own candle and ribbon, attempting to form the same elegant bow.  It wasn't going well.

"No, put your finger there, to hold it, then cross that…no…like this…oh let me do it."

Elphie relinquished the candle and walked over to the window. 

"It looks like its going to rain."

Glinda joined her by the window. 

"Wow, it got nasty out fast."

Elphie nodded, discouraged.

"Well, hopefully it'll hold off until we can go do this.  Can you please try again to make a decent looking bow?  It'll go a lot faster."

Elphie grabbed another purple ribbon from Glinda's box of adornments. 

"Why are we using purple?"

"Purple has long been the color of royalty, and they were royalty, even if only Winkie royalty."

"Gee, you're nice."

"Well, I still **chose** the purple."

"I know, I know."

"Here, I have a better job for you.  It requires less dexterity…"

"Hey…"

"Take the glue, and attach one of the already ribboned candles…"

"Is ribboned a word?"

Glinda growled at her.

"Sorry."

"And attach it to one of the little wooden holders."

"Cause that's certainly going to float…"

"Elphie…I'm trying to do this to be nice.  I'm not sure if it'll work, but we can at least try.  I mean, he's your boyfriend…"

"He's not my **boyfriend**." 

"Oh no?"

"He's not."

"Uh huh."

"Glinda."

"What would you call him then?"

Elphie frowned, and poured a generous amount of glue onto the bottom of the candle.  Glinda made a face at how much she was using, but said nothing.

"I don't know…my friend."

"Do you always share a bed with your male friends?"

"Glinda!"

"Well?"

"It's different…those times…they were extraordinary circumstances."

"But you said you liked him."

"Yes, well…"

"Have you kissed him?"

Elphie turned from her, and crossed back to the window, staring out.  She didn't answer.

"Have you?"

Elphaba nodded slowly.  Glinda smiled.

"Oh Elphie!"

"What?" Elphie snapped.

"Isn't it a good thing?"

"Yes…I guess…I don't know.  I don't like to get my hopes up about things.  It happened once.  I have no reason to believe it'll happen again."

"Riiiiiight."

"Glinda…I've never done this before.  I have no clue what I'm doing."

"Elphie, he's crazy about you."

"I've helped him through something, and he's helped me."

"That not all there is."

"You seriously need to get a better outlook."

Elphie sighed and looked out the window again.

"Is he a good kisser?"

"Glinda!"

"What?  Girls talk about things like that."

Elphie eyed her curiously.

"They do?"

"Of course.  And girls like Milla can talk about size," Glinda snickered.

"Size?  Oh, that."

"You can't talk size yet, right?"

"No, no.  Definitely not."

Glinda grinned. "Good.  That gets you a bad reputation.  But how was it?"

Elphie smiled faintly, recalling it.  "Great."

"I'm glad."

"Though, as nice as kissing is, there's nothing like being held as you go to sleep."

"Really?"

"It's the hardest thing to explain.  Guess I'm done with that though."

"Why?"

"I have no reason to stay there."

"Him?"

"That's not a real reason."

"It could be."

Glinda smiled, and patted Elphie on the back. 

"Hurry.  We need to finish these."

Elphie began her second candle. 

"He's out there already."

"Who?"

"Fiyero."

"By the wall?"

"Yeah, he's just laying there."  
"That's not unusual."

"No, I guess not, that's where we talked the other day."

"Yay, last one!"

A crack of thunder broke her joy.  Elphie jumped back from the window.

"It's raining!"

FEEDBACK!!


	17. Drying Off

A Lazy Afternoon

Disclaimer:  I don't own these characters.

Author's Note:  Okay, to clear up a comment from a review, it's a book-verse story more or less.  I just need the ability for him to be able to touch her at this point in their relationship, which breaks from the book.  I'm in a silly mood today.  This chapter and tomorrow's were both written in a 5 hour period while my boyfriend was fixing the computers for this place he consults for.  And try to figure out what I was listening to today…there's a nearly direct reference that just popped into my head a flow of dialogue and I found too amusing to change.

Chapter 17

Elphie bit her lip hard.  Now she wasn't going to even get to talk to Fiyero, let alone comfort him.  She leaned against the wall, dejected.  Glinda had her head stuck partway out.

"He's just laying there…" Elphie sighed.  "He's almost oblivious to the rain."

She pursed her lips tightly together.  Glinda turned to her.

"It won't hurt him."

"I know…but…he just looks so upset."

"Elphie, he just needs to be alone."

"He's going to make himself sick."

"It's not that cold.  He'll be fine."

Elphaba nodded reluctantly, and quickly turned away, wiping the tears that were running down her face.  Little streams of lava they could have been, and felt the same. 

"Elphie…its okay…its okay."

Glinda wrapped her arms around Elphaba awkwardly.  Elphie shook her off. 

"No!  It's not okay.  He's there laying in the rain, upset, and alone."

"Elphie…calm down!"

"No, I have to go help him."

She scurried to her closet and started putting an extra clothing.

"Are you crazy?!"  Glinda screeched.  "You can't go out there.  It'll kill you."

"No, it won't."

"Elphie, listen to me.  Fiyero wouldn't want you to go out there.  He worked so hard to make sure you were okay before."

Elphaba paused.  "What can I do?  Will you go?"

Glinda looked at Elphie, then out the window, then back.  She's never seen that Elphie this fired up about another person.

"Okay," she replied, finally.  "I'll go out there.  Do you want me to try to get him to come back **here**?"

Elphie nodded, and settled onto her bed.  "Thank you."

"He'll be okay."

Glinda threw a thick cloak over her dress, and scooted out the door.  Elphie sat clutching her pillow for a moment, then crossed to the window.  Glinda was just leaving the building, squealing.  She was quite sight with her cloak over her puff of a dress, running across the lawn to the river. She startled Fiyero from his daze.  He was confused.  He must have fallen asleep on the wall.  Oh no, he was refusing.  Elphie leaned against the wall, trying to see as much as she could without getting sprayed.  Glinda was pulling on Fiyero's arms.  He was having none of it.  Glinda turned up toward their window, and spotting Elphaba, shrugged in an exaggerated way.  Elphie pursed her lips.  Her eyes were beginning to swell again.  She was ready to go out there herself.  Then Fiyero sat up, and looked in the direction Glinda was.  She couldn't hear what was being said, but he saw her, and he went with Glinda.  Elphie ran to the closet and pulled a number of towels out.  She waited anxiously by the door. 

"Elphie!  I forgot my key!  Open the door!"

Elphie turned the knob and pulled.  There stood Glinda and Fiyero.  She had shed her cloak upon entering the building, and was not particularly wet.  He, on the other hand, looked like a poor, drowned puppy.  She handed them both towels.  Glinda dried quickly, and deposited hers into the hamper at the end of her bed.

"I'm going to go study with Pfannee and Shenshen," Glinda said, pulling the corner chair over for Fiyero to sit on. 

"Thank you," Elphie whispered.  "For everything."

Glinda nodded, and exited the room.  Elphie fished through her closet, and found the shirt and breeches that Fiyero had sent her home in a few days prior.  He had sat on the chair provided, with the towel slung across his shoulders, looking forlornly ahead.  Elphie lay her hands on the towel. 

"Hey."

"Hey."

"I just want to say, thank you for coming in."

"I was lonely."

"I could tell.  I just couldn't go out and get you myself.  I have the clothes you gave me the other day."

"Oh."

He didn't move.  Elphie crossed around him, and knelt in front.

"How are you?"

"I've been better."

She looked up at him, "I wish there was something I could do for you."

"You'll make me feel better.  I just need to be held."

Elphie smiled.  "First, you need to change."

"Okay, okay."  He stood up and peeled off his wet shirt.  Elphie handed him another towel.  Their hands brushed, and he grinned.  Her gaze lowered watching the blue diamonds, as he pulled off his pants, right down to his soaked shorts.  He grabbed the dry breeches from the bed.

"You're not going to put those on over the soaked underwear, are you?"

He paused.  "I guess you're right."

He turned to face the bed, away from Elphie, and stripped off the sopping shorts.  The blue diamonds continued their pattern straight across his toned bottom to his legs.

"Could you throw me the pants?"

She brought them over, coming up beside him.  She had an urge to see what the pattern did on the front.

"Elphie…"

"Sorry."

 She crossed to her closet.  He quickly pulled the pants on, and turned around.

"There. Only my hair is wet now, and that takes no time to dry."

"Could you take your wet stuff and hang it?"

Fiyero nodded and picked up the dripping garments, draping them over the chair.  He flopped onto the bed.

"You're so beautiful," he remarked, as she pulled his tunic off.

"Don't start that again."

"You either."

She looked down, away from him.

"See, Elphie, you have a nice flat stomach.  And it's a gorgeous, verdant shade."

"Bullshit."

He bounced off the bed, and over to her, pulling her into his arms.

"Why do I have to persuade you of this every time that I see you?"

"Because I've spent 20 years being told and convincing myself that I'm ugly."

It stung more than she thought it would to say.  Fiyero gently rubbed her back, to calm her.

"Hey, Elphie, hon, I know that you've been trained to think that you're nothing, but try, please, please try to be more positive.  And know that when **I** say it, you should never doubt it.  I think that you are beautiful."  He ran a finger along her bare stomach.  "Especially the larger expanses of green."

He ran his thumb under her chin and pulled it up.  She looked at him, cautiously.  He leaned in, brushing his lips against hers.  She kissed him back, shivering.  It was as if electricity was flowing through their lips.  He pulled her tightly against him.  She tensed, and quickly pulled away.

"What's wrong?  Am I making you uncomfortable?"

"A little."

He nodded and stepped away.  She pulled her nightgown over her head, and picked up his shirt.  "You should put this on."

"I thought you didn't have a problem with my going bare-chested."

"I don't…"

"You like the diamonds."

"You know I do, but Glinda might come back anytime.  It'll look bad enough if you have a shirt on, if you don't…"

"It'll look even worse. I follow."

He nodded and pulled the shirt over his head. 

"Now, I have a ton of homework to do.  You're welcome to stay, I'd like you to stay, but you must be quiet."

Fiyero grinned.  "I can abide that. I've got a bit of work to do myself."

He climbed into the bed, and she nestled beside him, pulling her books to her.  Leaning against each other, they began their work.

FEEDBACK!


	18. Snuggling

A Lazy Afternoon

Disclaimer:  I don't own these characters.

Author's Note:  We **_may_** eventually end up hearing about the blue diamonds on the front…  :-P    I studied part of the book today, and I still can't find a good answer for whether saliva hurts her.  He certainly licks her plenty in the book, but it doesn't really say if that hurts her.  Oh well, I'll continue my made up answer.

Chapter 18

Elphie squinted to see her essay, "Medicinal Herbs and Their Uses," five pages of essentially the work Fiyero did on her hands.  Dr. Nikidik had assigned an essay in lieu of a quiz, which was good.  Fiyero was writing on a similar topic, but he'd long ago fallen asleep.  His head leaned against Elphaba's like a dead weight, but she didn't want to disturb him.  Thus her arm hurt and the light was dimming.  She closed her composition book.  To hell with editing it.  She didn't care about Dr. Nikidik's class enough.  She lifted a small book out of her satchel: "Great Animals Throughout History." Glinda tiptoed through the door.

"Hey."

"How's he doing?"

"Better. He just needs to not be alone, and he cheers right up."

"Where'd his dry clothes come from?"

"I wore them home from his room that first night."

"Oh.  He looks so peaceful right now."

"Yeah," Elphie smiled. 

Glinda giggled.

"What?"

"You."

"What?"

"It's so adorable, the way you're like, 'yeah….'"

Elphaba scoffed.

"I like the word Boq used."

"And what would that word be?"

"Smitten."

"Smitten?"

"Smitten."

"No way."

"Then what would you call it?  Infatuation?"

Elphie shook her head.

"Obsession?"

"No…"

"Love?"

"I…I don't know. I care a lot about him.  That's all I can say."

"Fair enough."

"It really hasn't been that long…"

"I know.  Four days."

Elphie nodded.

"I take it he's staying?"

"Is that okay?"

"Yeah, that's fine.  He's asleep right now, right?"

Elphie nodded, and Glinda went over to the closet, selecting a pink nightgown.

"Safe to change," she smiled, then curiously, "Does he watch you change?"

"No…well, he's….he was…here….but not…watching…per se…not directly…I mean…yeah."

"Your cheeks are flushing.  I didn't know they could do that!"

"Oh, they flush."

"But they even get a little reddish."

"Yeah, I guess."

"Can I shut off the lights?"

"Sure, I'm not going to try to read anymore at this hour."

Glinda did so and climbed into bed.   Elphie slid down into her covers, pulling Fiyero with her.

"What's it like?"

"What's what like?"

"Snuggling."

"I don't know."

"You have to be able to describe it a little at least."

"It's hard…" Fiyero snickered softly and she pinched him, "…to describe."

"But you were talking earlier about heartbeat, and breathing.  It sounds nice."

"It is nice."

"I can't wait until I'll be able to snuggle with a guy some day."

"I'm sure Boq would be more than willing to oblige."

"Elphie!"

Fiyero was laughing softly, and Elphie pushed the pillow towards his face.

"He would."

"I know, I just…couldn't…is all."

"Okay, okay."

"But its nice?"

"Yes, Glinda, quite.  A warm, pulsating, rising and falling extra pillow."

"Gee, that's helpful."

"I find it describes the phenomenon rather well."

"Good night.  You frustrate me sometimes."

"Good night."  
Elphie snuggled closer to Fiyero. 

"A warm, pulsating, rising and falling extra pillow?" whispered Fiyero.

"Accurate?"

"I guess so."

" It's very hard to explain."

"A full sized snuggle pillow.""

"Only not always that comfortable."

"No?"

"Not when you roll over in your sleep and smack me."

"Oh, I would have figured that to be the best of all."

"Ha.  Ha.  Ha."

"But honestly, you like this, don't you?"

"Yes, definitely.  I just can't explain it.  I like it.  That's all I can express.  I mean, could you explain it?"

He thought for a moment.   "You know what?  I don't think so."

"See?"

He smiled, and leaned to her, gently grazing her lips with his own.

"But Glinda's here…"

"But Glinda's sleeping.  How will she know?"

"I guess she won't…"

"Right."

He firmly planted his lips on hers, their tongues met, and danced.

"How's that?"

"Good. Great."

"Is the tongue okay?"

"Yes…for some reason saliva stings less than everything else."

"Well good."

She leaned back to him, grasping his lower lip lightly between her teeth.  He gasped, and kissed her deeply.  So much for getting some sleep…

FEEDBACK!


	19. Sneaking Out

A Lazy Afternoon

Disclaimer:  I don't own these characters.

Chapter 19

hr

Elphaba growled as the sun streamed through the window, waking her from a fairly peaceful slumber.  It was early.  Glinda and Fiyero seemed unaffected by the bright light.  Fiyero was nearly under the blanket completely, and had pulled a generous portion of it to his side of the small bed.  Elphaba yanked some back, and rolled over, then back, unable to get comfortable.

"Stop squirming," Fiyero whined.

"I'm not."  
"You are.  Go back to sleep."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Too bright."  
Fiyero peeked his head out, and scrunched his face up at the light. "Ack."

"See?"

"Come huddle under the blanket with me."

I won't be able to go back to sleep."

"Then just snuggle."

Elphie sighed and slid into his arms, wiggling around, trying to find the best position.

"Elphie, relax.  You're really jittery this morning."

"I can't sit still."

Fiyero sighed.  "I guess I'm not going back to bed either, then."

"Let's go for a walk."

He groaned, but sat up.  "Where?"

"Just down the field, into the woods, something like that."

"Sure, what the hell."

Elphaba climbed out of bed, and tiptoed to the closet, pulling out a short sleeved black dress. 

"Always black."

"I have limited color, and I've worn it all this week already."

Fiyero laughed softly, and watched Elphie intently as she changed.

"Cheap thrill?"

"Hey, you like to watch me change too."

Elphie smiled shyly.  Fiyero swung his legs over the side of the bed, and walked over to her.  She held up her hand.

"Not now.  Wait til we're outside."

"Fine, fine."

They walked quietly down the hallway.

"Don't move," Elphie whispered suddenly.  "Grommetik."

"Who?"

"Shhh." 

They stood motionless in the small hallway as Grommetik passed down the stairs.  It was an awkward, slow procedure, and quite loud.  Elphaba peered after it.

"Come this way."

"Is this a way out too?"

"This'll take us down to the kitchen, and the garden.  We can climb out."

"Really?"

"It's how I usually sneak out."

"Usually?" Fiyero laughed.

"Yes, I do it often."  
At the bottom of the backstairs, a door led into the dingy kitchen.

"Ugh, you eat stuff that comes from here?"

"I know.  Seeing it like this is enough to persuade anyone to boycott the dining hall."

A crash across the room startled them.  They ducked down below a table.  Grommetik had entered the room.

"It must be onto us."

The tiktok scanned the room, pausing for quite some time in front of the table that Elphaba and Fiyero were hiding behind for some time.  They sat as silently as they could, and after a long pause, the tiktok left the room.

"Quick, but quiet," Elphaba instructed, as they proceeded out the back door.

"What is that thing?"

"Madame Morrible's tiktok Grommetik.  It's evil.  Her little spy."

"Do you think it detected us?"

"I wouldn't be surprised."

"Why did it not apprehend us then?"

"Madame Morrible takes pleasure in doling out punishment herself.  Grommetik just reports back."

"I don't want to get you in trouble."

"Oh, don't worry.  I'm usually quite good at getting myself in trouble on my own. Climb that."

"What?"

"The tree.  We climb the pear tree until we can get onto the shed roof, and then we can jump down from there.  It's pretty low on the other side."

"How did you figure this out?"

"Actually Boq did.  He was spying on Glinda, well, then she was Galinda, but he climbed into the tree, and I startled him, and he fell into my cabbages."

Fiyero chuckled.

"Anyways, I realized if he could get in this way, I could use it to get out."

"Cunning."

Fiyero contemplated the tree.  It had plenty of branches to climb up, but their strength he wasn't sure of. 

"Climb the tree. Oh, fine, I'll go first."

Elphie grabbed a hold of the closest branch, and put her foot into a little nook, pulling.

"Do you need a hand?"  
"Do I need a hand?  I do this almost every day."

"Fine, fine."  
Elphie climbed about 10 feet up the tree, and Fiyero began to follow.  They scooted onto the shed, and inched to the edge.

"You just jump."

"Yup.  It's not that far."

She propelled herself off the roof, and landed on her feet, then rolled forward.  He continued to look down.

"Is Mister Great Hunter afraid to jump a mere 10 feet?"

"Hey…I'm used to grasslands, not mountains."

She laughed. He scooted closer to the edge.

"Come on, you can do it."

Fiyero pushed himself off.  He landed on his feet, gracefully. 

"And you were worried about that?"

He shrugged.  "It seemed higher from up there."  
They started around the building to the main field.  Out in front of the building, trimming the bushes, was Grommetik.

"How does that thing get from place to place so quickly?"

"You know what?  I have no idea."

"Do you think there's more than one?"

"Could be."

"Now what?"

"Back around the other side."

"Where can we go back there?"

"I'll show you where Dr. Dillamond's lab was."

They started down the dusty little path that led from the back of the building to the laboratory. 

"His lab was next to the trash heap?"

"Just goes to show you how little respect was paid to Animals, even Animals as brilliant as Dr. Dillamond."

They stood outside the door to the little shack.

"Now, there are all sorts of binding and locking spells on this place.  I already got the important stuff out.  So we can only look in.  See, there's still blood everywhere."

As they peered through the windows, they did not noticed the eyes watching them from the bushes.

hr

FEEDBACK!!


	20. Eyes

A Lazy Afternoon

Disclaimer:  I don't own these characters.

Chapter 20  


Fiyero cupped his hands around his eyes and pressed them to the window, peering inside.

"Still a bloody mess."

"Yeah, its obvious that no one gives a damn about real scientific research."

"They just bound up the place?"

"Spells far beyond my power.  The door won't budge, the windows won't break, no matter how hard you throw a rock at them.  Look."

She lifted a large rock, and hoisted it at the glass window, which repelled it as if it were steel.

"Not a crack."  
Fiyero stared at the window in disbelief.  "It's as if it didn't touch it."

Elphaba nodded.

"So there is still quite a bit of work in there?"

The eyes in the bushes inched closer, to better listen in.  They were high interested in this conversation.

"I've got most of it.  The most important stuff at least, but I'm much too inexperienced to make much of it.  Hell, I took dictation for him all summer, and I only understand the smallest fraction of his work."

She sat on the grass, dejected.  Fiyero sat beside her.

"Don't put yourself down, you're so dedicated…"

"I'm dedicated to the cause, but I can't do anything about it, because I don't comprehend the science."

"You will."

"In how long?  Five?  Ten?  Twenty years?"

"Elphie, your persistence, it'll come through."

"You mean my stubbornness."  
"Persistence."

"Mere semantics.  They mean the same thing."

"I disagree."

"Why?"

"Stubbornness is refusing change, to avoid something new…"

"Which I do…"

"…Persistence is holding fast to something, to make a change."

She turned away from him, curling her knees up to his chest.  He crawled up beside her.  The eyes in the bushes shifted so they could see the pairs' fronts again.

"Elphie, I'm sure if you work on Dr. Dillamond's research and keep reading as much as you can, you'll figure it out."

"And how many years will be lost in the meantime?"

"You'll get it."

"You're too optimistic."

"And you're too cynical!"

She spun away from him again.

"I'm cynical, sarcastic, stubborn…"

"Persistant."

"Stubborn, weak, stupid, and ugly."

"Elphie!"

He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her onto his lap.  She tensed, and wrenched herself out of his grasp.  She fell forward, and rolled along the grass, toward the bushes.  The eyes retreated further into the brush.

"What was that?"

"What was what?"

"I just heard a noise."

"I heard nothing.  Elphie, you are not weak, stupid, or ugly…you're just down on yourself right now."

"Shh."

They listened for a moment.  Silence.  The eyes in the bushes kept deadly still.

"I guess I'm just jittery."

Elphaba bowed her head into her arms, hugging her legs close to her chest. 

"I hate being like this."

"Like how?"

"Unable to do anything.  Anything at all.  There is absolutely nothing I can do to help anyone.  I can't read Dr. Dillamond's research properly.  I can't perform enough sorcery to send a pen flying across the room, let alone release this binding spell.  Everything conspires against me sometimes it seems."

Fiyero placed his hands on her knees.

"I am not quite sure what to say."

She raised her head up a bit, resting her chin on his fingers.

"I mean, Elphie, I want to help you.  Or rather, be here for you, be your friend, or whatever, but I can only do it if you let me."

Elphaba released her knees, and grasping Fiyero's hands in hers, pulled him closer to her. 

"I know you're doing what you can."

"I wish I could do more."

"There's nothing really you can do.  I mean, you can't understand the research any better than I."  
"No, definitely not."

"But you've been good to me, especially in the last few days."

"I try."  
"I know."

"Do I try too hard?"

"I don't think so."

"I don't want to suffocate you."

"You're not.  I'm just not used to anyone caring, at all."

Elphaba pursed her lips together, trying to quell the growing pressure of tears in her eyes.  Unable to, she bowed her head.  Fiyero quickly reached over and dabbed the burning flow from her cheeks.  He rubbed the side of her arms, and stroked them, waiting for her to calm down.  She curled her body closer to his, climbing onto his lap, straddled, and holding him tightly.  Her head lay in the nook between his neck and shoulder.  As he traced circles on her back, she shivered, and looked up at him. 

"May I kiss you again?"

"You don't have to ask."  
"I didn't want to scare you."  
"I'll be okay.  Kiss me you fool."

He leaned in, quickly pressing his lips to hers.  There was a desperation in this kiss, and strong need.  And they lost themselves in each other, lips bruised and tongues exploring.  So lost were they, that they didn't noticed the rythymic pitter patter of the retreating eyes.

FEEDBACK!


	21. Encounters

A Lazy Afternoon

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters.

Chapter 21

It was midday and the sun glared off the river.  Elphaba lay on the stone wall, squinting to see the paper in front of her.  The current events in the Emerald City angered her.  The Wizard had further "clarified" the Banns on Animal Mobility.  Clarified.  That was a joke.  What he had done was impose a string of further restriction, which now, more or less drove Animals out of the cities into the farms.  Elphaba had seen the headline while getting tea in town after class, and quickly bought the newspaper.   The article went on to interview various officials who commended the Wizard's actions.  The political bias in the Ozian had always turned her off.  There was never an objective opinion, but rather a pro-Wizard gushing. 

She tucked the newspaper into her satchel, and retrieved a delicate brown leather folder.  Carefully she untied the string, cautious not to let the wind take hold of any of the parchments inside.  These documents were all the remained of Dr. Dillamond's research.  All were in her own handwriting.  She had taken his dication, and knew the basic idea of his research, but to say she understood it was too much.   Maybe Fiyero was right, if she read it enough, and visited the library, she might be able to make head or tails of it. 

Noticing Madame Morrible and Grommetik across the river, Elphaba quickly repackaged the precious papers and tucked them into her satchel, removing her Life Sciences textbook.  She lay it upon her lap, leaning forward to read further into the medicinal herbs chapter, trying to make it seem like that is what she'd been doing all the while.  The pair slowly made their way across the bridge. 

"Good Afternoon, Miss Thropp.  Studying are we?"

"Yes."  
"Is that the best greeting you can muster?"

"No, ma'am."

Elphaba slid off the wall, holding her book, and gave a slight bob of a curtsy.  She returned to her position. 

"And what subject are you studying for?"

"Life Sciences."

"Ah, are you enjoying Dr. Nikidik's lectures?"

Elphaba looked to the old woman which annoyance.  She was taking far too much glee in this conversation.  Morrible knew full well that Elphaba detested Dr. Nikidik.

"It would be nice if he could stay on the topic of the course."

"You find that he does not?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Needlessly torturing a lion cub, silly displays of sorcery, this is a life science course, not magic."

"Not everyone shares your stubborn opinion, Miss Thropp."

Elphaba winced at the word.

"In fact, there are a number of students who are much happier with the direction the course is now going.  Dr. Nikidik has some very insightful new work…"

"But its off topic!"

"I'd say its rather relevant, considering the headline of the newspaper sticking out of your bag."

"But its unproven."

"As was Dr. Dillamond's research."

"But Dr. Dillamond!..."

"But nothing dear, you are holding the work of an Animal professor above that of a human, something that Dr. Nikidik's very research show to be…"

"But he doesn't even have any real experiments to back up his claims."

"There was no evidence that Dr. Dillamond did either."

"But…"  Elphaba cut herself off.  Morrible had not found any evidence of Dr. Dillamond's research because she had taken it.  "I suppose you're right, ma'am."

"You worked with him for the summer.  Did you ever see any proof of what you were claming?"

"No ma'am?"

"Nothing that may have disappeared from his laboratory?"

"No, ma'am.  Even if I wanted to, the place is bound up beyond my own power."

"So obviously you have wanted to investigate?"

Elphaba looked at her icily.  "Yes, ma'am."

"Why?"

"Dr. Dillamond was my mentor."

"Ah, yes.  And you wanted to obtain his research badly enough to throw rocks at his windows?"

Elphaba blinked in confusion, and looked to Grommetik, whose mechanical gaze stayed straight ahead, blank.

"How did you know that?"

"My dear, your…young…mind cannot comprehend the power of spells like the power of spells like the one I lay up on Dr. Dillamond's lab."

"It can record attempted breaches?"

"Precisely. I have not checked on it today, though from the information Grommetik has provided me, I have a feeling I will find another attempted breach.  It saw you, and a young gentleman, heading that way, in the early hours of the morning."

"Did it follow us?!"

The brass tiktok moved menacingly closer, and Madame Morrible waved it back with her hand. 

"I do not know."

"Then how do you know whether we went to Dr. Dillamond's lab?"

"Are you suggesting that you and the young Arjiki prince snuck into the woods for more clandestine activities?"

Elphaba felt her face heat up.  "No ma'am!"

"Then you are admitting that you went to Dr. Dillamond's lab?"

Elphaba sighed, dropping her head.  Madame Morrible had talked her in a circle on this one.   Either she had to admit that she was at the lab, or admit that she and Fiyero had stolen away to be alone.  Funny thing was, both were true.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good.  I'm glad to see I've talked some sense into you.  Lying will get you nowhere Miss Thropp.  I advise you to stay away from Dr. Dillamond's lab in the future."  Madame Morrible turned to leave.

"Or?"

"Or I may have to impose some restrictions, beginning with a  more careful observation  of the comings and goings in your room.  Good day."

She and Grommetik turned, and continued their walk into town.  She stared after them for a moment, then turned away.  She looked down at the river and flinched at her rippled green reflection.  Her verdant skin color always managed to make her shiver.  It was one thing to see her green hands daily, but on the rare occasions that she really looked at her reflection, as now, and saw the entirety, she shuddered.  It truly baffled her that Fiyero found her beautiful.  She was beyond disbelieving him.  He was being honest, but she didn't understand what it was he saw, that she didn't.

A hand on her back startled her, and just as quickly an arm around her waist, steadied her to keep her from pitching forward into the river. 

"Sorry," Fiyero stammered. 

"Be more careful!"

Elphaba slid away from him, and lay on her stomach on the wall. She retrieved the textbook from where she had lain it down, and began to read.  Fiyero straddled the wall, and inched up to the book.

"You're blocking my light!"

He continued to do so.

"Fiyero!  Move!"

"My, we're in a bad mood this afternoon."

She glared up at him.

"I won't press you to talk if your so disinclined to."

She pushed herself up to sitting, but maintained a slight distance. 

"I had a run in with Madame Morrible."

"Oh?"

"She knows about my attempted break-ins to Dr. Dillamond's lab, and about us, among other things."

Fiyero looked worried.  "How?"

"I'm not exactly sure.  She said something about her binding spell being able to record breaches, which I'm not entirely sure I believe, and then there was Grommetik.  It apparently saw us leaving this morning."

"I thought we managed to avoid it."

"So had I. It stood there all smug…can a tiktok even look smug?  I don't know.  This one sure seems like it can."

"How does Grommetik communicate what is sees to Madame Morrible?  It can't talk, can it?"

"No, it can't.  That's a good question."

Elphaba tucked her knees to her chest and lay her head upon them.  Fiyero ran his hands through her hair.

"Don't…"

"Why not?  You don't like it?"

"No, I do…its just…Madame Morrible, and Grommetik went into town.  They'll be coming back this way eventually."

"Just a little."

"No!" Elphaba slid rapidly away.

"Okay, okay." 

They sat in silence for a few minutes.

"You're not wearing gloves today."

"No."

"They're looking a lot better."

Elphaba shrugged. Fiyero grabbed one of her hands.  She tensed.

"This'll heal just fine.  Relax."

Elphaba crossed her arms across her chest, keeping her gaze lowered.  "At least she doesn't know I have the research, or rather if she does she didn't let on."

"That's good."

He climbed off of the wall, and stood beside her, taking her by the shoulders.  For a moment, she let her head lay against his chest.   Students began to pour out of the classroom buildings.  Elphaba pulled away. 

"Class time."

Fiyero nodded.  "Me too."

She gathered her satchel, and stood.

"I'll see you later?" he asked.

"Perhaps."

"I suppose that's the best answer I'm going to get now, huh?"

She nodded.  He gave her a small hug goodbye, and kissed her forehead, before she scurried off.  He watched her for a moment, then turned in the direction of his own class, catching sight of Madame Morrible and Grommetik on the path returning from town, looking right at him.  He quickly looked away, and hurried to the building.

FEEDBACK!


	22. Candle Boats Revisited

A Lazy Afternoon

Disclaimer:  I don't own these characters.

Author's Note:  I am in technology hell right now(otherwise known as the O'Neill Theatre Center).  By the time this is posted, hopefully my internet in the dorm room issues will have been worked out, but I still have little to no internet time thanks to 9 hours of rehearsal daily.  Woo! 

Chapter 22

"Fiyero!" Glinda shouted, as she scurried across the courtyard to him, through the throngs of students pouring over the huge, granite academic buildings.

He stood and waited for her. 

"I'm glad I caught you.  You two left awfully early this morning."

"Beautiful morning," Fiyero smiled.

"I'm sure," Glinda giggled.

Fiyero grinned.

"Anyways,  I still have these candle boats," she produced three from her purse.  "We only made three before it started to pour, and she bade me come get you.  I was thinking, oh, hold on…Avaric!  Come here!...I was thinking, that we could go do it now."

Avaric sauntered up to them.  "What's up?"

"I was just telling Fiyero, that we should do the candle boat thing now."

"I'm game.  Get it over with, so we can go drink later."

"Gee, how sweet," Fiyero snickered.  "I guess that I am fine with doing the candle boats now, but we don't have most of the group."

"Most of the group…"

"Avaric, be nice!" Glinda snapped.

"I didn't say anything."

Fiyero lifted his hand over his eyes like a visor to block the sun, and scanned the courtyard. 

"Can't find your shadow?" Avaric laughed.

Fiyero smacked Avaric's shoulder, but smiled.  "No, I can't."

"She's busy today.  She made us sit way up in the balcony during class, so she could go through this folder of old papers.  I don't think she took a single note.  Anyways, she took off the second class was done.  I have no idea where she went, and Avaric's kinda right, we do need to do this now, because I have plans tonight too.  Sorry."

Fiyero nodded. "I understand."

The trio walked to the river.  Nessarose and Nanny sat by the wall, Nanny feeding a bowl of applesauce to Nessa. 

"How are you?" Nessa greeted.

"We are just about to do the delayed candle boat memorial for Fiyero's mother," Glinda explained, laying the three boats on the wall.

"Only three?"

"Well, we were going to do more, Nessa, but then it started to pour."

"Why didn't you make more anyways?  Three is a rather meager offering."

"Well, we didn't even know if we were going to be able to do it, get over it!" Glinda snapped.

Fiyero lay down on the river wall, while Nanny and Avaric watched Glinda and Nessa argue about just how many candle boats was a sufficient offering to the Unnamed God.  He stared blankly at the far side, perking up as he noticed movement.  A form sat up straight, and an arm tossed a scarf around a shoulder, then slumped back down.   Elphaba, without a doubt.  He watched, a little longer, but there was no movement.

"Nessa, if you don't think three is enough, then why don't **you** make some more!"

"Glinda!  You know I can't!"

Fiyero turned back to the argument.  "Will you both quit it?!" 

They turned to him in silence. 

"I do not care how many boats we put out on the river.  It is a nice gesture regardless."

Glinda and Nessa glared at each other. 

"Well," Glinda began, "Everyone who **can**, grab a boat…"

"Glinda!" Nessa shrieked, and they were at it again.

Fiyero banged his head against his arms, frustrated,  and turned away again.  Elphaba was watching, a small bit of her hair and forehead visible.   He looked to her in despair.  She disappeared, and he buried his head in his arms.  No one seemed to care about him in all this.  After what seemed like an eternity of bickering, a hand on his back startled him out of his misery.  He looked up to see Elphaba standing over him, holding the candle boats.

"Come with me.  They won't even notice. Avaric already left, Nanny's playing moderator."

He sat up, and she took his hand, and pull him in the direction she had come.  Nanny smiled after them, and did not alert Glinda and Nessa at the disappearance of the benefactor of the candle boat ceremony.  Fiyero and Elphaba crossed the river, and walked along the wall until it ended, and the river headed into the woods.  She sat by the edge.   He knelt beside her.

"Don't get to close."

"I'll be careful."

"Interesting reading today?"

Elphaba nodded.  "Extremely.  I was just reading a really good journal article that Dr. Dillamond had, when Glinda and Nessa's bickering drew me out.  I couldn't leave you there like that."

"Thank you.  I really didn't expect it."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I just thought today was devoted to your work."

"It was.  But you looked pitiful.  I needed to save you from it.  Why do you assume that I don't care?"

"That's not what I was saying."

She looked at him.  "What were you saying?"

He sighed.  "Elphie, I know you care.  You've proved it before.  I…I don't want to have this argument right now."

He facing the river, his head on lap.  She tensed, at first, but he grabbed her hand and slowly she relaxed. 

"I'm sorry," Elphie finally admitted.  She didn't want to see him so distraught.  Gently she ran her hand through his hair, and he moved his head so as to encourage it.  With her free hand, she grabbed the first of the boats out of her satchel.  "Ready?"

He took it from her hand.

"Shit."

"What?"

"We don't have anything to light it with."

Fiyero chuckled.  "I don't think it really matters.  It's the gesture.  It's not even dark out anyways."

Elphaba smiled.

"Will you let one go to, Elphie?"

"If you want me to."

"I do."

"Okay then.  I need a better position so as to not pitch myself into the river."

She lifted his head off her lap, and turned to lay on her stomach.  He rolled up beside her. 

"Ready?"

They held their candle boats out over the water.

"Do we need to say anything special?" Elphie asked.

"I was hoping you knew."

"This was Glinda's idea."

"Oh well, let's just put them in.  Silent prayers, keep it, if you please."

Very slowly the lowered their boats into the water.  Elphaba handed the last one to Fiyero. 

"All yours."

He held it in his hand for a moment, then kissed it, and dropped it into the water.  He turned to her.  "What are you going to do now?"

"I need to go back to the papers, I'm sorry.  It's just my run in with Madame Morrible earlier left me uneasy.  I think she knows more than she's letting on, and it just a matter of time.  I have to take in as much of this as I can, before…" she scowled.

"Before what?"

"Before I can't."

"Do you think she knows you have it?"

"I don't know what she knows anymore."

Elphaba stood up, and Fiyero grabbed her arm.

"Don't get too frustrated."

"I don't do hope well."

"Try.  Please, try."

He stood up, and wrapped his arms around her.  She rest her head on his shoulder, and allowed him to stroke her back. 

"So where are you going to read?"

"Outside was good until I got distracted."

"Not worried about Morrible outside?"

Elphaba shrugged.  "I guess I'm worried about her everywhere."

He squeezed her tighter. 

"I really do need to get going now."  She pulled away.

"I'm not going to get to see you tonight, am I?"

She looked at him for a moment, and shook her head.  "I don't think so."

He nodded to himself.  "Make sure you eat.  Don't get so caught up that you forget."

She smiled softly.  "I won't." 

Elphie reached down to pick up her satchel, then leaned in to kiss Fiyero on the cheek.  She didn't notice a paper fall from the bag.  He wrapped his arm around her and walked her back along the river.  Once they were a good distance off, Grommetik emerged from the woods, and retrieved the fallen article to bring back to his master.  This could be the kind of thing they were looking for.

FEEDBACK!!


	23. More Morrible

A Lazy Afternoon

Disclaimer:  I don't own these characters.

Chapter 23

Fiyero sat beneath the giant willow tree, reading his economics book, trying very hard to pay attention.   The behemoth branches nearly obscured him from the passer-bys on the road.  It was the perfect hideout during the day, but it was beginning to get dark out, and the page was hard to read.  With a quick kiss Elphaba had left him on the bank of the river earlier.  Shortly after, Grommetik teetered by him, heading towards Crage Hall.  The thing had its mechanical arms crossed at its chest, as if to conceal something.  It made Fiyero uneasy.  Since he had been under the tree, he had noticed Grommetik pass to and from Shiz.  It hadn't seen him, which suited him just fine.  He hoped that Elphaba had found a place to study her papers in peace. 

Squinting, he decided that further reading in his hiding spot was futile.  He closed the book and stood up, stretching.  The dim light had made him drowsy.  Batting the branches out of his way, Fiyero stumbled into the road, nearly colliding with the metallic Grommetik. 

"Good evening," Madame Morrible greeted.

"The same to you ma'am," Fiyero bowed slightly, per custom, and extended his and, which Madame Morrible shook. 

"Hiding under the tree, are we?"

"I find that beneath the giant willow is the best place to study in peace."

"I'm sure."

"I was reading for my economics exam."

"Economics.  A good subject for a future ruler."

"Yes, I agree."

"After graduation, do you plan to go back to the Vinkus?"

"Yes, ma'am.  That's still two years off though."  He smiled.

"And take up with your wife?"

Fiyero hesitated, something about the tone of her voice put him on edge.  "Yes, ma'am."    

"Now, I am not familiar with customs in the Vinkus, forgive me, but is the young lady officially your wife now, or not until you return after graduation."

"Well, she's…technically…my wife.  We were joined when we were seven.  I've only met her once. There is no formal ceremony in the Vinkus.  I will officially take up with her when I turn 20, after graduation."

"I see."

"It is a strange Vinkus custom."

"Yes, apparently.  And it seems that the rules of marriage do not take effect until age 20 either?"

"Ma'am?"

"It just seems me that you are not abiding a marital contract particularly well."

"There is no marriage contract, per se.  Customs in the Vinkus are different."

"This is not the Vinkus, my dear."

"Sarima is in the Vinkus.  She does not expect to even meet me officially until we are twenty."

"What a strange society," Madame Morrible scoffed.  "Regardless, I doubt your father would look highly upon your actions.  Especially with one like her."

"Ma'am?"

"She is not the type of girl a prince should be with."

"She's the Thropp Third Descending, in line to rule at Colwen Gardens."

"Yes, dear, that may be so, however she doesn't have the manners of the nobility, by a long shot."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"I'm just trying to say, that you had better be careful who you consort with.  You do not want your actions in your youth to cloud your future potential."

"I do not think it will."

Along the path, Elphaba walked softly, and upon spying Madame Morrible, Grommetik and Fiyero, turned around and tried to head back to Shiz.  Grommetik spied her, and followed.

"Fiyero, dear, just be wise."

"Yes, ma'am," he answered curtly, and turned toward the dorms.

"Oh, what have we here?"

"Let me go!"

Fiyero spun around at Elphaba's cry.

"Bring her here Grommetik," Madame Morrible commanded.

Grommetik had his cold metal hand around Elphaba's wrist, and was dragging her down the path.

"Let her go! Don't drag her!"

"If she won't come on her own will, she will have to be made to."

In front of Madame Morrible, Grommetik deposited Elphaba, and stood menacingly beside its master.  Fiyero crossed behind Elphaba.

"I see we don't learn well, do we?"

Fiyero said nothing, but glared at her,  placing his hands on Elphaba's shoulders.  She was already extremely tense. 

"No answers.  From either of you.  Is that the best you can give me, silence?"

They remained still.

"No answer.  Okay.  Miss Thropp, the reason that Grommetik retrieved you against your will is that we have a document we'd like to ask you about."

Elphaba gasped.  "What document?"

Fiyero's hands dropped to her waist, to her satchel, which was slung around her back.  Swiftly, he pulled out the brown leather folder, and slid it up his untucked shirt, into his waistband.  He returned his hands to her waist.

"This here," Madame Morrible continued, taking the paper from Grommetik.  "Interesting piece of rubbish.  I cannot fathom how you might have come upon it." 

"I…"

"You took it from Dr. Dillamond's lab."

"I did not!  I can't get in!"

"My dear, that is the only way possible.  This so called research is from a journal that we do not get at Crage Hall.  It is only found in Briscoe Hall, where you are not allowed."

"I worked for Dr. Dillamond.  He gave me many interesting things to read."

"Empty your bag."

"What?!"

Elphaba was in a rage now.

"I said, empty your bag."

"Why should I?  There's nothing there.  That's all there is.  I like to read is all.  I didn't steal anything."

"I find that unlikely at this point."

"You have no right to go through my bag."

"Grommetik." Madame Morrible gestured.

Grommetik advanced on Elphaba who tried to jump out of the way, but its strong, metal arm latched upon her wrist. It tore a bit of the newly healed flesh, and she cried out.  Crimson blood trickled down the green slope of her arm. She fell to her knees and Grommetik scooped up the fallen satchel.  Fiyero knelt beside Elphaba, as Grommetik poured the contents of her bag onto the dirt road.  There were a few medicine bottles, and a number of books.  Astonishment crossed Elphaba's face for a millisecond, before she hardened her gaze.  Madame Morrible examined the contents.

"See, nothing there," Elphaba retorted.

"Empty, your satchel as well," Madame Morrible demanded of Fiyero. 

Elphaba looked to him, concerned.  Calmly, he removed his satchel, and piece by piece took the items out of his bag.  A notebook labeled economics, the corresponding textbook.  A small purple ribbon.  Elphaba smiled.

"See, nothing there."

Madame Morrible looked perplexed.  "No, it doesn't appear so. Good day."

In a huff, she and Grommetik turned toward Crage Hall and stalked off.  Silently, Elphaba and Fiyero reassembled their bags.  He grabbed her injured wrist.

"Are you okay?"

She nodded.

"Let me bandage it up for you."

"If you want…"

"I do."

He led her towards the Ozma Towers.

"Where is it?"

"Not here."

Finally in his room, he pulled the concealed folder from his shirt.  She smiled and wrapped her arms around him. They held on for a good minute, until Elphaba pulled away abruptly.

"Shit!"

"What?"

"I just got blood all over the back of your shirt."

  Fiyero laughed, and kissed her forehead.  "No problem.  I'll cut it up and use it for a bandage."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

He unbuttoned his shirt and pulling it off, grabbed his picket knife, tearing the cloth into strips.  He took a bottle of antiseptic from his medicine chest.

"You know how this works.  It'll sting a bit."

"Mmmhmm," Elphaba answered absently.  She barely noticed as he applied it. He wrapped it up, and smiled, watching Elphie watching him.  He lifted her chin up to face him, and she blushed.   He leaned in, and their lips met, full of fire.  They pulled apart, and sat forehead to forehead.

"I hate to say this…" Elphie began.

"But you need to read."

"Yeah."

"Read here."

"Fiyero…"

"It's a good spot, away from the prying eyes you're trying to avoid."

"That's true…"

"I'll be good.  I promise."

She smiled.  "Okay.  I'll try.  One request though."  She blushed.

"What?"

"Put another shirt on."

He laughed.  "Can't concentrate?"

She shook her head. 

"I'll do whatever you need."

He kissed her forehead and crossed to his closet, as she settled into his bed with the brown folder.

FEEDBACK!


	24. Night Sweats

A Lazy Afternoon               

Disclaimer:  I don't these characters. 

Author's Note:  The O'Neill is a really cool place to work. I have a cast full of people who have been on Broadway, and I'm working on my first Equity show.  My cast was doing very mean Wicked impressions tonight, though…wasn't so pleased about that.

Chapter 24

Fiyero lay awak, watching Elpahba sleep.  Sleep was a relative term.  It was a very fitful slumber.  She kept rolling and thrashing, and her green skin was pearled with sweat.  He wondered if her own sweat hurt her.  Suddenly, she cried out, and kicked her foot into his shin.  He gasped, and wrapped his arms around her to calm her down, trying to swallow his own pain.

"Let go!  Let go!"  She yelled, fighting against him. 

She didn't seem quite awake.

"Elphie…"

"No!"

"Elphie, calm down."

"Leave me a…oww…oww."

"Shh…" he kissed her forehead.  "It's okay.  Just a bad dream."

She moaned, and shook in his arms. 

"Oh, let me get you something to dry off…"

"Don't leave me."

"You're soaked."

"I'll…I'll…be okay."

"You don't sound okay."

"I'm…just…shaken."

"Bad dream?"

"I just have this awful feeling…that something…something bad is going to happen."

"What do you think it is?"

"I…don't know."  
She buried her head against his chest.  He rubbed her back with the heel of his hand.  After a moment he looked up.

"I fell asleep with everything out…"

"Don't worry, I put it all back in the folder, and tucked it under the mattress."

She nodded, almost imperceptibly.

"It's safe."

"I need to keep it with me."

"It would be more secure…"

"I just want to have it on me in case anything happens."

"Elphie…what do you think is impending?"

"I think…It just seems to me that…that this whole thing with Morrible is going to come to a head."

"Yes?"

"She knows I have the research.  Thus far, she's been unable to prove it.  But she won't stop.  She's stubborn and vindictive, and that damn clock!  I know she talks to it somehow.  But how the hell she does it, what we really need to look out for, I don't know…I just don't know."

"We can't live in fear."

"We have to be careful!"

"Okay, okay."

She rolled on her back and stared up at the ceiling.  Frustrated, she wiped her face with her sleeve.

"I'll get you a towel."  
Fiyero slid out of the bed, and walked over to the closet.  Elphie sat up, and walked to him.

"Oh, you're more drenched than I thought."

She nodded, and he pulled a shirt of his out of the closet.

"You should change."

She nodded, and with shaking hands tried to undo the buttons of her blouse. 

"I can't do it."

She hit the wall, and turned from him, resting her head against the closet door frame.  Fiyero tiptoed up behind her, and lay his hands on her shoulders.  She was incredibly tense.  He gently turned her around to face him.  She looked exhausted, almost as if her sleep had drained her more than rejuvenated. Silently, he reached up, and undid the buttons, sliding the drenched garment off of her arms, and softly dabbing the towel to dry her.  She lay her head against his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her waist, staring down the long, green expanse of her back.  It was a little puffy from the aggravation of the moisture.

"Does this hurt?" he asked, running a finger along the skin.  She shivered.

"Mnhmmm"

"No?"

"Just a little sensitive?"

"Yeah?"  he traced his finger back.

"Fiyero…"

"Sorry.  Bad sensitive?"

"No…just sensitive…but…"

"Okay, okay.  Sorry."

"You can do that, but…just…warn me."

"Okay," he smiled.  "May I pet your back again?"

She turned her head to look up at him.  "Can I have that shirt first?"

"Oh…um…yes…I am sorry…I had forgotten…I…um…"

"You are so amusing when you're flustered?"

"How so?"

"Very formal."

His cheeks began to burn.  Sheepishly, he handed her the white shirt.  She pulled the sleeves on, then began to fight with the buttons.

"Will you?"  
Fiyero nodded, and with careful attention, fastened each of the seven buttons.

"There."

"Thank you."

She looked up at him  He pulled her tightly against him once again.  Very slowly, he leaned in, and their lips met, softly at first, then increasing in intensity.  His hand ran up and down her back, and hers explored his hair.  He nudged her backwards until they were sitting on the bed.  Absently, his hands explored the skin peeking out from where the shirt had nudged up a bit.  She lay back against the pillow.  He looked down at her.

"You're beautiful."

"Fiyero…"

He leaned over her. 

"Gorgeous."

"I am not."

"Would I be laying on top of you if I didn't think so?"

"I don't know…you are male."

"Elphie…"

"Just kiss me, and stop talking…"

Fiyero chuckled.  "If you insist."

He pressed his lips against her forehead, then her nose, skipped her lips, kissing down her neck, up to her ear, then finally focused in on her lips, and intensified.  They kissed, all tangled for a while, before nestling into each other's arms, just holding one another.

"Think you can sleep now?"

"We'll see."

"You seem calmer."

"Well, yeah…"  
"I'll hold you tightly."  
"While nice, that can't fix everything."

"No?"

"My we get puckish late at night."

"Early in the morning."

"God, how late is it?"

He grabbed his pocket watch from the table. 

"4am."

"Ugh.  Sorry I've kept you up."  
"I do not mind."  
"Thank you."

She curled her head into the nook between his shoulder and his neck.

"Now try to rest."

"I will."

FEEDBACK!!!

_One to go!  This story is coming to an end, as it cannot continue indefinitely.  The next chapter shall tie it back into the book, and finish this story.  Don't worry…there'll be more stories._


	25. Purpose

A Lazy Afternoon

Author's Note:  To answer questions asked:  The show I am working on is a new musical called River's End.  It's a very interesting show.  I really like it.  Working on an evolving script is one of the coolest stage management experiences I've ever had.   This chapter has taken me a few days to write.  Spurts of furious writing, then hours of pondering the exact best way to put things.  I've known for some time where in the  book universe this was going to end, but not how I was going to get it there.  I decided that 25 chapters was a good point.  A little about this chapter…its not fluff.  There was no way to tie fluff back into the book and maintain any relevance.

Chapter 25

Elphaba sat with her legs tucked under the blanket.  She had yanked the folder out from under the mattress, and was now reading as much as she could.  Sleep remained elusive, so she decided  not to bother trying.  Fiyero lay curled against her, an iota of comfort in an otherwise uneasy morning.  A bleak light peeked through the window.  It was dismal and grey outside, the sky bearing no indication of time's progression.  Hopefully, the rain would hold off. 

She was getting a little stir crazy, so she slid off the bed.  The floor was ice cold, and she gasped as she danced over to the table on the opposite side.  The pocket watch read 5:30.  It had only been an hour and a half.  Elphie tiptoed back to the bed, and began packing up all the research she had scattered.  She needed to find more material.  Fiyero stirred, and watched her silently.  She did not notice him.  Unbuttoning the shirt, she tucked the folder inside, and pulled the rope belt from her hair, using it to bind the folder against her stomach.  She refastened the shirt, and leaned over to put on her boots.  She walked over to the window, and quickly backed away.  Grommetik stood out in the courtyard, leering up at the room.  She shivered, and peered out again.  It was gone.  She scurried over to the door, and opened it as quietly as possible.

Fiyero quickly jumped out of bed, and followed.  Pajamas or not, he was leaving now.  The granite floor stung his barefeet, but they'd been through worse in the Vinkus.  And besides, he was nimbler and quieter sans shoes. 

Once outside, she took off for Crage Hall.  What was she doing.  She bounded up the back stairwell, two at a time, to the third floor, and he stood at the base until she was clear, then sprinted up them, staying a landing behind her all the while.  She paused in the hallway, outside a door bearing a plaque that Fiyero could not read from his distant position.  She pressed her ear against the door.  Nothing.  She tried the knob.  It was locked.  She hunted through her bag for something to use to pick it, but found nothing.  She leaned back against the wall, and slid to sitting. 

Fiyero glanced around the stairwell.  It was rather untidy, and there was a plethora of little sticks.  He picked one up. 

"Try this," he suggested, stepping out from the stairwell, bearing the stick. "I found it out here."

"How did you know where I was?"

"I followed you."

She gave him an uncertain look; a mix of disbelief and fear, and stood back up.  "You shouldn't have."

"You just took off without a word."

"I have things I need to do."

Fiyero stared at the nameplate on the door. "In Madame Morrible's office?"

"There are things I want to look up.  She's got connections that…"

"Elphie…if you get caught in this office…"

"I won't get caught…"

"Elphaba!  You know Grommetik was around outside."

"It didn't follow me."

"I did, and you didn't notice me."

"You're probably going to draw more attention.  Hell, Grommetik was gone before I got outside.  I could only see it out the windows."

"Elphie, please…"

"No."

Fiyero leaned back against the wall.   

"Give me the stick."

Fiyero didn't move.

"Give it to me!"

He held the hand with the stick from her.  She fumed.    
"What is it that you're expecting to find in there?"

"Anything I can.  Corruption.  Proof that the Wizard is making up the documentation that is the basis for the Banns…the so called research…the…"

"Elphaba!  You can't take this on on your own!"

"No?"

"It's one person versus an entire government, corrupt or not."

"So does that mean that no one should ever challenge authority?  The status quo is always okay?  What kind of ruler are you going to be?"

"That's not what I'm saying…"

"What are you saying?"

"Elphaba…Elphie, I'm just saying be careful.  If its that corrupt, its dangerous."

"I can take care of myself."

"What are you planning to do if you find something?"

She glared at him.  "I'm working on that."

"If you're caught, you won't have time to."

"We'll see what I find."

"It doesn't sound like you've thought this out well enough to be trying this."

"Is that what you've always thought of my work?"

"No! I…"

"That I'm impetuous and strong willed."

"Elphie, I…"

"Didn't we just have this argument the other day?  That I'm stubborn?"

"Will you calm down?"

He grabbed her arms that were wildly gesticulating.  She fought against him.  He took a deep breath, and continued. 

"Elphaba, I believe in your work.  I believe in you.  I'm just worried that frantically searching for something, so near to morning, is going to cause you more trouble than its worth."  He released her hands.  "Do you understand?"

Elphaba turned from him and leaned against the wall.

"I need to see what I can find.  I need to." 

She turned back to face him.  Her face was lit up with fervor.  She was so beautiful when she got like this.  He took her hand, and pressed the small stick into it.

"I still don't think this is a good idea, but you're so commited to it."

"Thank you.  Now please go.  I've drawn you into question enough lately."

"I want to stay."

"No.  You need to go.  Fiyero, I can't draw you into this.  It's not your cause."

"You're my ca…"

"No, I'm not.  You care.  I know that.  But I care about you too much to make you part of this.  You have a wife to go back to.  A tribe."

"Do it when you've thought it out more…" his voice faltered. "Don't…don't pull away."

"I have to."

She stepped up close to him, and he threw his arms around her, tightly.  He mashed his lips against hers, startling himself with the urgency.  She pulled back a bit, then gently kissed him once on the lips. 

"Please go."

He sighed, and wiped his eyes, then turned and walked back to the stairway.  Elphaba watched him go, blinking furiously to prevent her watering eyes from leaking down her face.  She swallowed, then turned her attention to the doorknob.  She jammed the little stick into the whole and the lock popped.  She pushed the door open and peered it.  The room was empty.  She began to look through the papers on the desk.  There were some official memos, these would be interesting.

From the shadows in the corner of the room, Grommetik emerged.  "Spying?"  the tinny voice cackled.

Elpahba screamed, grabbed a fistful of whatever she could, and reeled around, charging out the door.  How could she have not realized Grommetik could have come here ahead of her. 

"Target has left.  End transmission."

Elphaba ran down the stairs three at a time, shoving the stolen papers into her bag.  She burst out of the door into the courtyard, scanning for Fiyero.  He was gone.  It was probably better that way.  She needed to do this on her own.  But what exactly "this" was, she didn't know. 

Across the courtyard, Madame Morrible stood talking to Glinda, who seemed upset.  Grommetik emerged from the main entrance and took its place beside Madame Morrible.  It could talk.  The goddamn machine could talk.  It was probably magicked to do so.  Elphaba hesitated where she was, but Glinda spotted her.    
"Elphie, come here!  Oh, Elphie!"

Elphaba trudged over.  Glinda threw her arms around Elphaba's waist and lay her head on her shoulder. 

"Oh, Elphie.  Madame Morrible just told me that Ama Clutch is dying.  They don't think she going to make it though the night."

Elphaba wrapped her arms around Glinda.    
"It is unfortunate, my dear," Madame Morrible began, "the way these events have transpired."  She smiled viciously at Elphaba.  "Glinda, darling, why don't I take you to see Ama Clutch now, and Elphaba here can inform your friends so that they might come pay their respects."

Glinda nodded, and pulled away from Elphaba.

"You'll do that, right Elphie? Find everyone?"

Elphaba nodded, and watched the trio disappear.  The reality of the situation had begun to set sink in.  Morrible had been orchestrating the whole Ama Clutch situation all along, from Dr. Dillamond's death on.  And if Grommetik was capable of speech, then anytime it was spotted around, Madame Morrible would have known what was going on.  The thought made Elpahba nauseous and she sunk to the ground, resting her head between her knees. 

Madame Morrible was not going to get away with this.  She had to find some way to make her pay for it.  It was all part of what she believed in.  She knew at the moment, looking back, seeing Ozma Towers, that her destiny was not one of love and fun, but rather hard work, and fighting for a cause.  She wondered if Fiyero could see her sitting where she was, and what he was thinking. 

She took a deep breath.  She couldn't think about that now.  There was work to be done, corruption to uncover, research to prove, and that would be her life's journey.  And she would die trying if that's what it came to. 

FIN

FEEDBACK!


End file.
